Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim
All praise is due to Almighty Allah (SWT) the Lord of the worlds. May the blessings of Allah be upon the noble Messenger Muhammad (SAW), his household, Companions and the entire Believers and followers of his mission on the good pedestal till the day of judgement. That the way of good people is to proclaim fairness towards humanity is not far from the truth and that a worthwhile government takes lead in charting the cause of health, security of lives and properties and welfare may not be far from reality.
This is the case of Lagos State Government in whose concern for safety of citizenry from epidemics and other human-prune devastators must be sustained. Such epidemics as Cholera, Polio, Meningitis and HIV/AIDS are poised to be estinguished.
Recent move by the State Government Agency for Disease Control summoned religious leaders among all stake holders recently for interaction on getting to the top of awareness creation on HIV/AIDS epidemic ravaging the Nigerian polity. Lagos State being the most volatile neighborhood in Nigeria as a main commercial nerve of the federation, accounts for the chunk of number affected by the epidemics.
For instance, the scourge was first witnessed in Nigeria in 2009. Till date, about 2.9million people live by it while countless of thousands people have died of the scourge. In the exact premise, its growing prevalence of between 4.1- 5.1 percent of the Nigerian population is capable of impacting on the economy if something tangible is not done in time.
By definition, HIV is Human Immuno-deficiency Virus and AIDS is Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is a disease weakening and weighing down anti-bodies through obnoxious viruses and it grows through incubating windows to full blown weakness of the system. Its effects are seen on blood, fluid, saliva, simen and body soldiers.
Its symptoms include but not limited to drastic weight loss, protractive cough i.e Tuberculosis, prolonged diarrhea, skin rashes and infections and white coating on the tongue (thrush). Others include neck, groin and armpit gland enlargement, persistent fever and un-explained ailment. Life eventually becomes miserable as a result of the scourge. Far from witches and wizards' crafty, actions and reactions are capable of contracting HIV/AIDS.
However, the twin diseases lead to each other in case of untimely discovery. It can be contracted through sexual intercourse, unscreened blood transfusion, infected mother-child, breast feeding and kissing or touching the gum of infected person. Contrarily, HIV/AIDS has been proved not to be contracted through sharing of clothes, dishes, toilet seat, eating together with patient. Furthermore, experts have proved that the disease cannot be contracted through hugging, hand-shaking, touching and mosquito-bite.
Nevertheless, risk prune persons include having multiple sex partners, unprotected sex, using infected skin-piercing or drug injection equipments, tattoo, unsterilized barbing and beauty instruments. This accounts for not only possible insistence to screen blood before transfusion but also making it necessary having personal and un-shared barbing implements. To this end, important note must be sounded that HIV/AIDS has no definite cure as claimed by Orthodox Medical Experts though, it can be managed! Researches are on-going regarding possible getting cure for the scourge through Trado-medical. Determining one's status in time, taking medication and/or referral and wholesome change in lifestyle go a long way determine the longevity of the patient.
Above all, prevention -they say- is better that cure. Avoidance of unsafe sex, being faithful to partners, getting tested before starting a deep relationship, screening blood before transfusion, avoidance of unsterilized skin instruments and getting timely necessary advice by infected mother are capable of curbing the spread of the scourge. Aside, ORALQUICK HIV SELF-TEST kit can be purchased at Pharmaceutical and Chemist shops to carry out persal test but follow up is desirable.
Parting shot from this edition is the necessity of avoiding yet another protest targeted at Lagos State in the like of the ill-fated 2020 #ENDSARS#. Right-thinking should ask the following salient questions in a bid to savage Lagos from the calculated and politically motivated looming attack. Why Lagos in the first place and not other States in the federation? Why not Abuja; the current Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the seat of Nigerian governance? Are Politicians the Owners of Lagos targeted businesses?
Not only that, Victims of 2020 #ENDSARS# who unfortunately lost jobs as a result of numerous burnt down Lagos BRT vehicles at Ojota and Oyingbo; where would they start from? Shoprite store at Awoyaya and Abraham Adesanya looted, are these the only business available to public in the area. Were there no luxurious buses plying Lagos to Eastern States in Jibowu, Oyingbo, Mazamaza and Alaba International Market? What prevented those and other businesses of non-Yoruba origin Entrepreneurs such as Computer Village, Arena and other commercial spots in Lagos from the hands of the protesters?... The responses to these numerous other questions on the purported protest are better imagined than experienced again should such protest be allowed to repeat itself in Lagos State.
Let's draw curtain on this edition till next week. You are too precious to miss editions on this platform. Stay there abundantly blessed. Ma'as Salaamah.
Dr. Razaq Bolawaye Uthman, Imam Ansar-Ud-Deen Society Ipaja Branch Lagos State.
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