Health Corner: Understanding HIV And AIDS

HIV And AIDS koko tv ng 1While there are millions of sufferers of HIV and AIDS worldwide, it seems Nigerians still don’t know certain things they need to know.

Nigeria has one of the greatest burden of HIV and AIDS in the world but people seem to have forgotten about it. HIV means human immune deficiency virus and AIDS is acquired immune deficiency syndrome. It is a disease that destroys the body’s immune system. The immune system is that thing that fights against infections. AIDS is essentially the senior brother and occurs when HIV is left untreated. Here are some facts that people believe are true that are in fact totally hogwash.

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MYTH 1 – There is a cure.

I don’t care what your pastor told you, you have NOT been cured of an incurable disease. There is no cure for HIV or AIDS. There are drugs for managing it called antiretroviral drugs or ART. So just because you tested and your viral load is low, don’t do thanksgiving just yet. You still have it, your drugs are just doing their job.

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MYTH 2 – It is highly contagious.

Well, this is a tricky statement. What I mean by not contagious is that you can’t get it as easily as you would the common cold. So yes, you can hug, kiss, eat and share toilet with people with HIV. Blood and semen are basically the only fluids in the body that have the virus and as long as you don’t share any of those, you should be safe.

HIV And AIDS koko tv ng 4MYTH 3 – He only put the tip in/ He pulled out.

If a woman can get pregnant with only the tip, then you can definitely get HIV as well. seriously people, semen and blood have the virus, as long as even precum gets into you, you are already at risk. Be informed so you don’t become a victim. I will not preach abstainace so nobody seems to listen but for the love of God, use a condom. Don’t listen to that rubbish that it is sweeter without condom. It is also sweater without HIV.

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MYTH 4 – I tested negative once, I can never have it.

I laugh in Spanish for you. After the first test, you are advised to come back for a 6 weeks testing to confirm the diagnosis, especially if you have been exposed. There’s thiS thing called sero conversion and it might not have happened yet but it could so please and please, do your follow-up.
With these few points of mine, I hope I have helped clear up some misunderstandings about HIV and AIDS.

HIV And AIDS koko tv ng 6Photo Credit: Getty

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