By Emmanuel Oluwadola

Ondo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (ODSACA) on Thursday organised a candlelight procession at the NEPA roundabout, Akure, the Ondo State capital, in commemoration of the 2023 World AIDS Day.

Officials, ODSACA members, representatives from various agencies, and partners participated in the event.

During the procession, the Project Manager of ODSACA, Dr. Dayo Adegbulu emphasized the significance of remembering those who lost their lives to AIDS and promoting awareness.

He said, “HIV should not take your life. If you are infected, go to the hospital. The test is free in Ondo State and there are treatments for everyone who tests positive. We create awareness so that people who are alive can learn and know that HIV infection is real.”

He expressed gratitude to the state government and stakeholders for their support, emphasizing that sustained awareness is crucial in the fight against the scourge.

Representative of the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Israel Adeyemi noted that there are ongoing efforts to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS from pregnant mothers to children in the state.

He encouraged infected individuals to speak up and seek help to address the condition.

In his goodwill message, the Coordinator of the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NEPWHAN) Ondo State Chapter, Prince Emmanuel Aladelusi highlighted the impact of ignorance, lack of drug usage, and superstition on AIDS-related deaths.

He underscored the importance of creating awareness that HIV is manageable and not a death sentence.

Mrs Ayomide Jaiyeola, the coordinator of the Association of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (ASWHAN), Ondo State chapter, also shared her experience of living with HIV for 22 years.

She emphasized the importance of seeking treatment and consistently taking medication, noting that individuals with HIV/AIDS can lead normal and perfect lives.

Jaiyeola called for collective responsibility in overcoming AIDS, urging community leaders to sensitize their members about HIV/AIDS and the dangers of stigmatization.

The candlelight procession included a moment of silence and musical renditions to honour the deceased and bereaved souls.

World AIDS Day, celebrated globally on December 1, aims to raise awareness of the pandemic caused by HIV infections.

The agency had earlier in the morning taken the HIV awareness campaign to officers and men on the Nigeria Police Force, Ondo State Command at the Police Officers Mess.