FACA begins research to tackle spread of HIV virus

NAN-HG-4
Survey
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, Oct. 26, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Agency for Control of HIV/AIDS (FACA) says it has commenced survey to find workable solutions to tackle the spread of HIV among adolescent girls in the territory.
The Project Manager of the agency, Dr Uche Okoro, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
Okoro said that the survey, which is known as Action Research, would be done in collaboration with the Society for Family Health (SFH) and the Institute for Public Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife.
He explained that the research would be community-based that involved the people themselves to bring up suggestions, views and ideas on how to address the HIV spread among adolescent girls.
Okoro said that the effort was to provide prevention services for them.
He said FACA had already conducted a baseline survey to find out vulnerability factor among young girls from 15 to 24 years of age.
According to him, adolescent children are among people that spread HIV virus in various communities across the country.
The project manager noted that it was also a concern for the agency that this group of people have not been coming out to access its HIV prevention services.
Okoro said that the service included HIV counselling and testing, treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and use of condoms.
He said that his agency begun the research in two area councils of Gwagwalada and Bwari.
“The research is a paradigm shift to involve the people themselves, find out from them on what ways they want us to deliver our services to them,” he said. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola