The health department in Abyei Special Administrative Area is planning to open voluntary and free HIV/AIDS testing centers in Abyei Civil Hospital, Ganga, Juoljok, and Amiet to reduce the spread of the disease.
This came as a response to MSF’s annual report of HIV/AIDS prevalence in the area as it treated 361 cases in the previous year.
The health department confirmed that it has officially received the report on Tuesday 12 March. Hon. Deng Arop has called on people with infection not to worry because there is treatment against the virus and urged to check their status in order to start early treatment or prevent transmissions.
“I urge citizens for the importance of voluntary check in big numbers to know status and accelerate treatment of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B,” he pleaded.
Hon. Arop urges youth to protect themselves by avoiding multiple sexual relations, adding that AIDS prevention is everybody’s responsibility.
HIV is transmitted through an infected person’s body fluids, such as blood from an infected person, breast milk, sperm, and vaginal secretions, as well as during pregnancy and childbirth.
