Ngozi’s Story: Living with HIV in Nigeria-Lessons From National HIV Testing Day

Do you that National HIV Testing Day falls on June 27, and calls attention to this important public health issue in the United States and worldwide? This June 27 marks the 20th anniversary of National HIV Testing Day.

This day was established as an annual observance to promote HIV testing. The theme is “Take the Test. Take Control.”
 National HIV Testing Day reminds us that we all have the power to stop HIV, and testing is one of our most powerful tools.

Today, it is estimated that one in five people with HIV do not know they have HIV. Approximately 35 million people worldwide are HIV-positive, including 1.2 million in the United States. This includes the 3.5 million children who are HIV-positive, most of them infected during pregnancy, birth, or shortly after by their HIV-positive mothers.The AIDS pandemic began more than 30 years ago and has killed up to 40 million people worldwide. 

MEANING OF  HIV/AIDS:HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus, and is a disease that affects the body's immune system and ability to fight off other infections. AIDS, which stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome, is the late-stage infection of HIV.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS is spread via blood, semen and breast milk. There is no cure for the infection, but AIDS can be kept at bay for many years with cocktails of antiretroviral drugs.
2013 Report on HIV/AIDS: United Nations data show that in 2013, 35 million people were living with HIV, 2.1 million people were newly infected with the virus and some 1.5 million people died of AIDS. By far the greatest part of the HIV/AIDS burden is in sub-Saharan Africa.

The United Nations AIDS agency, UNAIDS, says that, by June 2014, some 13.6 million people globally had access to AIDS drugs, a dramatic improvement on the 5 million who were getting treatment in 2010.

Testing positive to the virus is not a death sentence. Many Nigerians are now living positively with their families after testing HIV positive. In recognition of this HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, we encourage you to read their stories below:

 Lane Hartill, the CRS regional information officer for West Africa,
visits with Ngozi Nwega and her family. Photo by CRS staff

Ngozi’s Story: Living with HIV in NigeriaNgozi Nwega who lives in Benin City, was just 15 years old when she was forced into marriage. Her husband died after contracting HIV, her family then rejected her. Two of her children died soon after they were born. She became desperately ill. Nkechi, her oldest daughter , quit school to take care of her.

Ngozi’s new husband – who paid for medical bills after she became ill – tried to strangle her, saying she would die anyway.

She narrates her story  to Lane Hartill, “The man returned me to my parents, on the way to the village, it’s a miracle I didn’t die. When I got to the village, everyone ran from me. Even my father ran away.”

The stigma of HIV is high in Nigeria. Many believe it’s a death sentence.

But then she found the Archdiocese of Benin City. CRS supports their health unit and the team that works with HIV-positive Nigerians and their children. Vivienne, an outreach worker through the archdiocese, came to Ngozi’s house and gave her rice and beans. She took the kids to the zoo. She made sure the children’s school fees were paid. And that the mosquito net was hung and Ngozi takes her antiretroviral drugs. (Lane Hartill is Catholic Relief Services’ regional information officer for West Africa. He is currently traveling in Nigeria)

WHY YOU SHOULD GET TESTED;

• Regular HIV and STD testing is the only way to ensure that you know your status and can adequately protect your sexual health. When HIV testing was first made available to the public, it was a slow operation that often resulted in false results.  

• The evolution of HIV testing has resulted in today’s extremely reliable and quick methods of testing blood for HIV. Test results are processed quickly now. 

• While a standardHIV Antibody test measures antibodies that take 1-3 months to build up in your system, there is also a fourth generation HIV Early Detection test that detects the antibodies and the p24 antigen as soon as 9 to 11 days after exposure to the virus. 

• Modern HIV tests are also virtually pain-free.

• Most people who are HIV-positive do not know they have the disease, as HIV is a more serious issue in areas of the world where people do not have access to adequate healthcare. 

• Once a person gets tested for HIV, treatment is available to help HIV-positive individuals live healthy lives without transmitting the disease to others.

LESSONS ON THE NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY
The June,27 National HIV Testing Day is an annual event, created to encourage everyone to get tested for HIV.

• In a time in which effective HIV treatments are widely available, the imperative for HIV testing has never been greater and the wide availability of HIV testing options assures that knowing your HIV status has never been easier (American Psychological Association, APA).

• “Take the Test” Take Control” and get tested today.

  This is a particularly important time for YOU to get involved! Take the Test, Take Control.