This year, an estimated 20,400 people will be infected with HIV in Nigeria with more than 45% being young people adding to the more than 3.6 million Nigerians currently living with HIV/AIDS.

In recognition of the World AIDS Day in December, NextGen Africa Initiative in partnership with the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency, National Youth Service Corps, Network of Youth Advocates and Rotaract Club International organized an awareness walk to encourage all citizens of Agbara, Ijanikin and Oto-Awori to get tested for HIV.

The awareness walk had corps members educating members of the communities on HIV/AIDS and encouraging them to know their status so as to ensure a safer future for them and their love ones. Members of the communities were given condoms, flyers, stickers and IEC materials so as to enlighten them about HIV/AIDS and urge them to get tested as a team of trained counsellors were on ground. The awareness reached over four hundred people with members of the community trooping in to know their HIV status.

Participants during the exercise were encouraged to get tested for HIV at least once a year, avoid sharing of sharp needles or blades, avoid unprotected sex with someone who might have HIV, be faithful to only one partner and learn more about HIV/AIDS and how to prevent it and especially guard against stigma and discrimination of those living with HIV/AIDS. About 100 people participated in the HIV testing exercise with more than half of them being young people.
Written by Citizen Joshua Alade