50,000 Free Oraquick HIV Test Kits Secured By GSU Student

Ibrahim Mohammed Bello, a 500-level medical student from the Gombe State University (GSU), has managed to secure over 50,000 Oraquick HIV test kits for distribution across Nigeria.

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

During the presentation of over 3,000 kits for Gombe through Dr. Habu Dahiru, the Commissioner of Health, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed Bello, who is also the National Director for the Standing Committee for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, including HIV and AIDS of the Nigeria Medical Students Association said that the commodity is to be distributed for free.

During a meeting, Mr. Bello said that he had been able to convince an NGO, DKT International Nigeria, whose aim is to reduce maternal mortality, to give out over 50,000 HIV Oraquick screening test kits. He said that they were moving to the Upoprimary health centres in Gombe to demonstrate and distribute the commodity together with a questionnaire to assess the health situation in that part of the state.

Upon receiving the commodities and inaugurating them on the behalf of the government, Dr. Dahiru expressed his delight that one of their sons took the initiative to get the commodity for the common good of all. He explained that this act will go a long way in improving health care delivery in Gombe because “if you know your status, we will now get you counselled, and it will reduce the spread.”

“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 its spread.”