Jigawa govt. lauded over HIV status law

Gov. Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa State

The Network of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (NEPWAN), Jigawa chapter, has commended the state government over the enactment of a law compelling intending couples to know their status before marriage.

Malam Abubakar Muhammad, the chairman of NEPWAN, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Hadejia on Monday that the law would control the spread of the scourge in the state.

NAN reports that the Jigawa State House of Assembly had recently enacted a law compelling intending couples to know their HIV status before marriage.

The law stipulates three years imprisonment or a fine of N500,000 for any defaulter.

It also prescribes appropriate punishment for any person charged with discrimination, stigmatization or misgivings against HIV-positive persons.

Muhammad said that this would encourage people to go for HIV counseling and screening, and as well curb the transmission of the scourge.

He said that the increasing rate of transmission of HIV to many couples was due to lack of knowledge of their HIV status before marriage.

“The law will also control stigma and other forms of discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS, especially in the rural communities,” Muhammad said.

He, however, called for effective enforcement of the law to control the scourge, stigma, and promote care and support services to persons living with it.

Muhammad said that the association would collaborate with the state government to sensitize people on the importance of HIV screening to ensure its effective control.

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