FACA trains 9,963 commercial sex workers on HIV prevention
NAN-HG-6 HIV
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, April 20, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Agency for Control of HIV/AIDS (FACA) has said that it trained 9,963 female commercial sex workers on prevention of HIV in 2016 in Abuja.
The Project Manager of the agency, Dr Uche Okoro, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
Okoro said that the three months’ training focused on Minimum Prevention Package which included using of condoms consistently and appropriately.
He said that the sex workers were also taught on how to carry out HIV test and treatment of other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).
He added that other structural issues in their sex trades were also addressed by the agency.
According to him, due to the training and cooperation they got from the commercial sex workers, prevalence of HIV had dropped significantly in the territory.
“The female commercial sex workers in Abuja had organised a structure which made it easier for us to carry out our activities with them,” he said.
The project manager also disclosed that in 2016, 13,242 female commercial sex workers went for HIV/AIDS test in the FCT.
Okoro stated that in 2016 no fewer than 2,798 men who had sex with other men did the HIV test in Abuja.
He said 2,359 men who shared the same stringe to inject drugs to their bodies were also tested.
According to him, most of these groups of people tested positive to the disease.
He said that based on 2014 statistics, HIV prevalence had dropped by five per cent in Abuja. (NAN)
MS/HS/MST
Edited by Halima Sheji/Muhammad Suleiman Tola