Leadership (Abuja)
11 November 2008
Assistant Controller- General (ACG) of Prisons, Mrs Anelechi Nwosu, yesterday in Abuja described counseling and testing as the entry points to HIV treatment.
Nwosu, who is the co-ordinator of HIV programmes in the Prison service, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the ongoing counseling and testing training organised for prison health workers.
"Couseling and testing are very important aspects of HIV care, treatment and support. If you want to provide effective service for clients, you have to acquire the necessary skills.
"So, the training is to empower our prison health officials for HIV service delivery in our prisons," she said.
Nwosu stated that prison inmates would be better guided on the implications of their status through this training of the officials.
"As clients, you have to know your viral status. If you are positive, you will be counseled to understand that it is not the end of the world," she said.
She said that a HIV positive client would also be taught how to use condom for protection against acquiring another strain of HIV that might increase the viral load.
"He will be taught what to eat or avoid. He will also be counseled on his sex life," she said.
According to her, those who are negative will also be counseled on how to live to remain negative. (NAN)
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