by crossriverwatch admin
In a bid to ensure that the HIV/AIDS scourge does not mar the fun during the 32-day Calabar festival and Carnival which commences today December 1, 2012, the State Agency for the Control of AIDS (SACA) has advised hoteliers to compulsorily place condoms in all their hotel rooms and suites.
SACA Director-General, Mrs Irene Aniyom, gave the advice at the weekend while speaking with journalists.
She said the placement of condoms in hotel rooms could act as a preventive measure against the dreaded virus, and urged hotel owners to make it a top priority.
Aniyom disclosed further that SACA recently carried out free HIV test and counselling at the just concluded Obudu Mountain International race and that over 1 million pieces of condoms were distributed at the resort.
“Recently, we administered free HIV testing and counselling. Due to the prevalent rate of the virus in the state, it has become absolutely necessary to embark on testing and sensitisation exercise to provide adequate awareness of the virus, especially amongst young people.
“After carrying out a thorough test on some people at the venue of the Obudu mountain race, about four tested HIV positive- two male and two females. We counselled them on how to manage it,” she said.
She added that about 7.1 per cent of Cross Riverians were living with the dreaded virus, but assured that SACA would stop at nothing to ensure that the rate was reduced to the barest minimum.
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