WHY HIV CANNOT BE DEFEATED IN NIGERIA BY 2070... - ODUDU AKPAETE

Pharmacist Odudu Akpaete 

A Community Pharmacist, Odudu Akpaete practicing in Akwa Ibom State has lamented the abysmal attitude of some members of the society towards the HIV infection and their health.

In an article sent in to Pharma-Guide Nigeria about his experiences with HIV clients as a Pharmacist, Pharm. Akpaete, a very vibrant and vocal Pharmacist and critic of the anomalies of government and of corrupt leaders in the Nigerian polity, expressed his fear that going by his observations from his days at General Hospital Aboh Mbaise to Community Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) programme hosted by Howard University Pace Centre in conjunction with FHI 360, ARF, SACA and the Ministry of Health, HIV may not be defeated even by the year 2070.
He recounted one of his experiences during his NYSC days when he encountered a patient with a very low CD4 count (a measure of the level of a HIV patient’s immune system) of 50. The patient after receiving adequate counseling and subsequently starting his medications and was responding to treatment, came boasting about a 2weeks dry fasting and prayer exercise after which the virus would be off his body forever. The Pharmacist pleaded with the said client against his planned exercise and within two weeks of the dry fast, the patient was dead. The church however continued to thrive. He also recounted the case of a lady who after receiving counseling and commencement of medication, she took her drugs to a prophetess who purportedly blessed the drugs and asked the patient not to take the medications again that she was healed and soon after, the patient was admitted to the hospital.
There was the case of a patient who was doing well on her medications and suddenly absconded from it only to return after three (3) years when she was obviously in a bad shape and almost dying.
Pharm. Akpaete decried the fact that many people still live in denial of the existence of HIV infection. He lamented at what he described as the folly of some ladies who spend as much as N3500 and more on making hair but cannot afford to buy N50 needle and as such resort to sharing needles with the public many of whom do not know their status and many of whom are HIV positive.
He however outlined IGNORANCE, DOUBTS, SUPERSTITIONS, TRADITIONAL PRACTICES AND FEAR OF TESTING as some of the reasons militating against the actualization of a HIV-free Nigeria today and in the future. He however called on the public to take the issue of HIV/AIDS seriously. He acknowledged and appreciated the efforts of HUPACE for taking the HIV testing counseling to the villages. In his words to the society, HIV IS REAAAAAL OH!!!