HIV increasing in Lagos because of ‘stigmatisation’ by health workers

There is a spike in cases of HIV/STIs in Lagos “because youth will choose traditional health care givers over receiving treatment at primary health care centres because of the stigma/discrimination by health care workers”.

This was made known during a sensitisation programme by the Leadership Initiative for Youth Empowerment (LIFE).

James Unegbu, LIFE’s group programme manager, lamented what he described as the high rates of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted Infections (STI) among youth in the state.

“Mostly affected by this scourge within the community are vulnerable persons within the community, as their styles contribute about 10 percent of all cases of infection in country,” Unegbu said.

“Many vulnerable persons do not access health services at the primary healthcare centers… because of the stigma and discrimination of communities and sadly even health workers towards them.”

According to Unegbu, research shows that in Itire-Ikate and Isolo local community development area, most of the vulnerable persons will seek traditional methods of treatment accounting for the spike in cases of HIV and other STI among Nigerians.”

He urged the youth and the community members to visit health care centres for treatment.

“As medical professionals and staff, we want to see an end to sexually transmitted infection particularly HIV/AIDS infection through improved access to transmitted infection treatment for community members as a whole,” Unegbu said.