The infidelity of married men and women in Akwa Ibom State can no longer be hidden. The wide spread of HIV virus in the state has exposed many couples who have been cheating on the spouses in their pursuit of leisure or temporary pleasure.
In an earth breaking revelation, Programme Manager of Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of AIDS (AKSACA), Dr. Nkereuwem Etok, had earlier this week, exposed that 51.6 per cent of married men and women have tested positive to HIV/AIDS infection in the state.
National Daily gathered that Nkerereuwem Etok, who expressed fears over the alarming rate of HIV/AIDS infections among married men and women in the state, remarked that recent statistics from survey conducted by the agency indicated that married couples, surprisingly, account for the highest prevalence rate of 51.6 per cent while prostitutes and commercial sex workers constitute only 4 per cent.
Etok, in a media interactive session, had said that most couples engage in unprotected sex outside their marital homes which makes them more susceptible to HIVvirus.
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“We have areas of high prevalence, before the statistics started coming we were sure that the most-at risk population will be the commercial sex workers, we were sure that this group will be the most affected but our data showed surprisingly that married men and women are the highest HIV infections with 51.6 percent. “The commercial sex workers recorded only 4 percent while those engaged in casual sex recorded second highest with 30 percent’’ he had said.
The programme Manager had attributed the high prevalence rate among the couples to include undermining the existence of HIV/AIDS virus; or most couples engaging in sex without minding the status of the sex partners.
He decried that people are still tied to the culture of marrying widows without considering what killed their husbands.
He identified another group which comprises businessmen and women and government officials who attend seminars and workshops within and outside the country with their concubines.
Etok requested residents in the state to participate in the testing exercise across the state, adding that they are conducted free in designated locations across the state.