The 2024 World AIDS Day celebration held in the Oguta council area of Imo State on Tuesday, December 31, 2025, witnessed a large turnout as women, men, and youths volunteered for testing to know their HIV status, unlike in previous years, following strong advocacy by the resource persons.
The 2024 World AIDS Day celebration kickstarted with a sensitization rally to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, followed by a health talk.
The resource person, Dr. Mercy Duruaku, addressed the audience on everything they needed to know about HIV/AIDS and its preventive measures.
Speaking at the event organized by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) at the Oguta Civic Centre, Dr. Kyrian Uchegbu, the Imo State Representative, expressed his happiness over the eagerness of people to know their HIV status by participating in the free testing provided by the NDDC.
He said the NDDC, as an interventionist agency, is assisting in the development of the nine oil-producing states and improving the health of communities by providing better health facilities.
“I’m happy today as our people have taken advantage of the free testing to know their HIV status. HIV is not a death sentence, and knowing your status helps you live a more positive life.
“We are going to have another medical mission in 2025, like the one held in 2024, where those with various medical problems were treated, including surgeries, free of charge. NDDC will continue to provide health facilities in the oil-producing communities of Oguta, Ohaji/Egbema, and Oru East because health is wealth,” he said.
Dr. Kelechi Nwelu, Director of the Imo State office of the NDDC, added that similar events are ongoing in all nine oil-producing states.
“We are also running a deworming program, and it will be included in the 2025 medical mission. Earlier, we had a medical mission in Oguta for two months, and we plan to do more. We are concerned about the health of our people, and today being World AIDS Day, knowing your status is important. We have antiretroviral drugs available, and they are free,” he stated.
Dr. Mercy Duruaku, the resource person, explained how to prevent and manage HIV if contracted.
She emphasized that antiretroviral drugs can suppress the virus in carriers and prevent it from progressing to AIDS.
“HIV does not kill, but what kills is the mindset of the infected person. If you are positive for the virus, all that is required is to take the antiretroviral drugs religiously, which will suppress the virus and allow you to live well. You also need to adopt a positive lifestyle. HIV will not stop you from getting married. When you take your antiretroviral drugs consistently, at some point, you become uninfectious because your immunity is high,” she explained.
Participants at the event expressed their gratitude to the NDDC for sponsoring the program and creating significant awareness about HIV/AIDS. They pledged to put into practice everything they learned.
The highlight of the 2024 World AIDS Day celebration was the testing and counseling sessions, which saw many participants tested for HIV.
