MABUSSA, KISS Nigeria sensitize Students on Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV/AIDS
• Introduces Oral fluid-based test to students
• Shares free test kit and condom to students
• Calls for adoption of sex education into school curriculum
• Decries the decline in virginity rate
Safiu Kehinde
Management and Business Studies Students Association (MABUSSA), in conjunction with Keep It Safe and Sweet (KISS) Nigeria, have sensitized students on protection against Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and HIV/AIDS.
The programme, which was held today at the 700 Seaters Auditorium, had in attendance, students across every departments in School of Management and Business Studies, with the exemption of Accountancy and OTM departments.
Following the welcome address by MABUSSA’s Vice President, Malaolu Olawale, a representative of KISS Initiative engaged the students in Health Awareness Talk.
According to the representative, more than 220,000 Nigerians come down with HIV infection every year with 60,000 out of the number falling within the age range of 15-24 years
Stressing further, he highlighted reasons why adolescents and young people are at high risk of getting HIV which include poor sexual health seeking behavior, negative attitude of some healthcare providers, concerns about confidentiality and bias, risky sexual behavior, and early sexual debut.
He also spoke on preventive measures for HIV including usage of PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) and PEP ( Post Exposure Prophylaxis) before giving a practical display of how to use Oral fluid-based test kit to detect HIV.
Meanwhile, the test kit, alongside a roll of condom, were later given for free to participants of the program.
Speaking after the event, the MABUSSA President, Balogun Samson, expressed concern of the association over the wellbeing of their students which was the motive behind the sensitization program.
“We are concerned about our students and their wellbeing. That is why we came up with this just to educate our students about HIV prevention. Most of us don’t really have knowledge about how to prevent HIV. But with this programme, many of us now have the knowledge.” He said.
Similarly, MABUSSA Vice President, Malaolu Olawale, emphasized on the inevitability of sex among tertiary institution students and the vulnerability of the students to HIV.
“We are in a higher institution. Sex is one of the physiological needs as contained in Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It is needed by everybody. This program will educate the students, enlighten them, and tell them how to protect themselves. Because if one person is affected in this faculty, we can’t say, we all might be affected by that same person- even across hostels.
“This program is just to prevent us and make us cautious about sexually transmitted diseases and infections that one might have maybe during sex and even without sex. Because HIV is not just about sex alone.” He said.
On her part, the Social Director of MABUSSA, Awomosu Kemisola, emphasized on the welfarism of students going beyond just physical, but also health wise, stressing that the program will enlighten the students on their sexual lifestyle as well as other possible means of getting HIV.
Her words: “Welfarism of our students matter a lot. Taking the welfarism of our students to the next level, we don’t only cater for them physically. We have to cater for them health wise too.
“Bringing this programme to school shows that we care about their sexual lifestyle. Apart from sexual lifestyle, some people must have been exposed to needle piercing and the likes, not knowing whether they have contacted disease. This way, when they get tested with the oral kit, they will have pre-knowledge about it and it will make them go for further test and treatment. It will also protect the society a lot.” She said.
Meanwhile, the students executives called for the introduction of sex education in Nigeria's secondary school curriculum as well as in tertiary institutions – a topic which has heavily been over the past years.
For Balogun Samson, introducing sex education should be prioritized.
“Introducing sex education should be one of our main priority. Because we can never do without sex. Introducing sex education into our secondary and tertiary institutions, I think, is possibly a good one for us to have knowledge of how to prevent all kinds of sexually transmitted diseases.” He said.
Similarly, Awomosu Kemisola hammered on the need to introduce sex education particularly in this sex-driven generation where virginity rate is on the decline.
“Introducing sex education to students, I feel like it is more necessary for this our generation. Sex is something that is paramount to many people. You hardly find virgin these days which makes it necessary for both males and females to be knowledgeable. You don’t just have sex with anyone you see around. I know this program would have yield a lot to people who attended.” She said.
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