3 Million Condoms For Calabar Festival

Cross River State Agency for the Control of HIV and AIDS has acquired
more than three million condoms for distribution at the Christmas
Carnival village in Calabar.The Director-General of the agency, Dr.
Irene Aniyom, told the News Agency of Nigeria at the village in
Calabar on Sunday that the measure was to create more awareness on HIV
and check the prevalence level.She explained that the youths were
targeted in the distribution of condom because they were theactive
participants at the annual carnival .She added that SACA and her
partners would also offer free counselling and test on the scourge
during the 32-day event.Aniyom advised youths against using the
festival as avenue for sexual activities, warning that "even if they
should indulge in such practice, they should ensure that they use
condom".She said Calabar South Local Government Area and Calabar
Municipality Local Government had the highest HIV and AIDS
prevalence.She said 244,106 persons in the state were currently living
with the HIV and AIDS.She advised tourists and fun seekers patronising
the festival village to avail themselves of the free counseling and
test offered by the agency during the period.
"There is the need for people to take advantage of the testing
andcounselling to know their HIV status. This will enable them to
control their excesses," she said.
The SACA boss stated that Cross River was one of the states in the
country that was making conscious effort to tackle HIV andAIDS.
"Gov Liyel Imoke is the Chairman of SACA in our state and he had done
so much in supporting the agency. Whatever achievement we have made,
we owe it to him," she said.

Source: Punch Nigeria