The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), has consulted religious leaders on HIV treatment adherence in Nigeria.
The President of the CCN and Vice president of the Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in West Africa, Most Rev. Dr Benebo Fubara-Manuel in an interview with newsmen in Abuja stated that part of what Christian leaders do now is to encourage members who are afraid to undergo HIV tests due to fear of stigmatization.
He said that unlike before when HIV was a killer disease in the world, the constant usage of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) helps people living with the disease stay healthy.
The cleric added that though some overzealous and untrained leaders still project faith healing to members; assuring them miracles, the consultation is aimed at ensuring that such motions are corrected.
“As you know, Christians and many people are afraid of going for HIV tests simply because of stigmatization. They are afraid that they will be seen as immoral people, like those who have been unfaithful even though we all know that you can be infected and affected through other means.
“Part of what we do now is to reduce stigmatization, to help people understand that HIV is not itself a moral question, it is a disease, it is something to deal with and that is why church leaders like myself are not afraid to speak publicly about this to help people to realize that HIV is a matter to be handled and that is the only way to give hope to our world when it comes to this illness.
“Presently if you take your medications well and steadily you get to a point that the virus becomes undetectable and sometimes you are not able to transmit them.
“Many of the leaders of churches that believe and project faith healing do not preach that anymore. Even when you come to them for prayers they lay hands on you and ask you to go to the hospital and test to ensure the healing has happened properly. This way people who are positive stay on their medication until the hospital says they don’t need it anymore. You know many of these pastors are not well trained, and many are not educated. Even some who have gone to the best of schools are overzealous and that makes them preach in the wrong direction. We do not want to condemn them. That is why we are here to help them so that our preaching and teaching will help them learn properly.”
Also speaking, the Zonal Coordinator for NACA in the Northeast, Tobias John, said that research and effort have helped in understanding that HIV is no longer what it used to be; like a deadly disease.
“Research has proven these days that people who take the Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), therapy even have the capacity to live longer than people who do not have the disease and the reason is that the therapy is an immune system booster which brings them back to normalcy in terms of health parameters, ” John said.
He further commended the federal government for its response to the fight against the diseases in terms of educating the populace, adding that the disease is no longer a public health emergency.
John added that the collaboration with Christian leaders became necessary as they are influencers. He therefore expressed optimism that with the effort put in, the projection of ending AIDS by 2030 will be achieved.
“As we speak today, HIV epidemic, particularly with the response in Nigeria, government has done well in terms of educating the populace in terms of prevention, stigma, discrimination and treatment. However, we still have a wide gap between the perception of the epidemic in the behavioural attitude of the people.
“We see the religious leaders as game changers and influencers who can make people go for the tests, to enable us to achieve the end of AIDS by 2030.
“By the parameters of HIV and AIDS, it is no longer within the public health emergency so we can manage it just like we manage other common diseases, ” he added.
