Guardian

THE Jigawa State Agency for the Control of Aids (JISACA) has praised the Senate for its forthrightness in passing into law, the bill against same sex marriage, saying it will go a long way to strengthen the fight against the scourge of the dreaded Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

The Senate passed a bill on Tuesday outlawing same sex marriages as well as banning public displays of affection between homosexual couples, with a provision of a 14-year jail term for anyone entering into same sex marriage.

Executive Secretary of JISACA, Dr. Bashir Mohd Ahmed who spoke with reporters in his office in Dutse, the state capital to mark the World AIDS Day, said HIV/AIDS proliferates more when the natural mode of sex is extended beyond its boundary as exhibited by homosexuals and gays, adding that the action of the lawmakers will go a long way to helping the cause of JISACA.

“Our role is to tell people the safest way; to give people options. It is not our duty to say you don’t do it. The law, when fully operational, will help the fight against AIDS because same sex relationship is responsible for the larger chunk of the spread of AIDS,” he said.

Ahmed disclosed that Jigawa State has recorded decrease in the number of people from 1.8%  in 2006 to 1.5 prevalence in 2010 while at the national level  stands at 4.5% prevalence.

He said the celebration which started over  20 years ago, is aimed at sensitizing the people on how to prevent the scourge, show love to those affected  and sensitize the people against stigmatizing the victims.

“The disease will not kill but the stigma can kill hence everyone has a stake: market women, farmers, governments, civil society organizations and every person,” he said.

The secretary said December 1 of every year is set aside to mark the AIDS day, stressing that a pregnant woman has 40 percent  chance of transmitting the disease to her baby if there is no intervention, adding that intervention is available in all the 14 General Hospitals in Jigawa State.