The Federal Government has launched a National HIV self-testing (HIVST) and Pre-Exposure (PrEP) communication strategy. The Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Gambo Aliyu disclosed this, saying the national HIVST and PrEP communication strategy are approved tools in the HIV combination prevention package for people with a substantial risk of HIV infection.
He added that the HIVST and PrEP communication strategy was designed to enable the effective communication of the HIVST and PrEP interventions available in the national response by public health experts, health care workers, community groups, and workers with targeted audiences for HIV prevention in Nigeria.
"It elaborates the communication action plan that will promote the uptake of HIVST and PrEP interventions for the prevention of new infections and reduction of the burden of HIV among individuals and groups particularly at high risk of acquiring the virus.
"It will address the challenges of low level of awareness, demand, and uptake of the HIVST and PrEP services."
Aliyu further explained that the HIVST allows people to know their HIV status in the comfort of their homes and privacy of their space.
