GSU medical student secures 50,000 free HIV test kits for Nigeria

A 500-level medical student of the Gombe State University (GSU), Ibrahim Mohammed Bello, has secured over 50,000 Oraquick HIV test kits for distribution across the country.

Suleiman Babayo Gidado, a member of the Nigeria Youth Parliament, representing Gombe North, said the effort was successful following their partnership with the Nigerian Medical Students’ Association.

Mohammed, while presenting over 3,000 kits to the Gombe State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru, said the kits would be distributed free.

Mohammed, who is also the National Director for the Standing Committee for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, said he was able to convince a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), DKT International Nigeria, to distribute over 50,000 HIV Oraquick screening test kits across the country.

Mohammed said: “My standing committee has an MoU with DKT International, an NGO that is aimed at reducing maternal mortality. So I went into a meeting with them and I was able to convince them to give over 50,000 HIV Oraquick screening test kits not just for Gombe State, but Nigeria as a whole.

“I secured over 3,000 kits for my own state and I think for a State as young as Gombe to be able to direct this distribution, is a win for all as indigenes of Gombe.”

He further explained that the item is a self-test kit that does not use blood but saliva, adding: “You can get your result within 20 minutes and you can do it yourself thereby avoiding that stigma and discrimination that is attached to HIV testing in hospitals.”

He added that they were moving to some of the Primary Health centres in Gombe State for demonstration and distribution of the items with a questionnaire for them to assess the health situation in the state.

Receiving the kits on behalf of the Gombe State Government, the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru, expressed delight that one of their sons took the initiative to get the kits for common good of the people of the state.

He explained that the kits would go a long way in improving health care delivery in Gombe State, noting: “If you know your status, we will now get you counselled and it will reduce the spread.

“If someone is found positive, he is going to be placed on some drugs and it is going to reduce the virile load on the person and he’ll also be counselled, practice safe sex and take other safety measures for himself and others.

“It will also reduce mother to child transmission and it will drastically reduce the burden on the society. So, testing is key; you have to know the status before you know what to do in the case of managing it to reduce it’s spread.”

While promising to judiciously utilise the items, the commissioner requested Mohammed Bello and his team to “share with us the result you’ll get so that we do another follow up. It’s not just to identify, but how we will manage it”.

The Star