A 55-year-old man, Patrick Akpan, examined HIV optimistic 20 years in the past and vowed to not permit stigma and discrimination to break his well being. As the Lagos State Coordinator for the Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, his journey of resilience and advocacy continues to encourage efforts to uplift individuals dwelling with the situation as the worldwide neighborhood marks 2024 World AIDS Day right this moment, SODIQ OJUROUNGBE experiences
Patrick Akpan’s story is one among nice energy, rising above ache and hardship. Now a voice for others dwelling with HIV, his journey was as soon as marked by ignorance, and concern as he fought an an infection that nearly claimed his life.
For Akpan, the second of his analysis in 2004 was nothing wanting a dying sentence. Going again to reminiscence lane, when our correspondent visited him on the Lagos NEPWHAN workplace within the Costain space of the state, he stated ignorance nearly made him hand over on life when he found he was optimistic.
With a deep breath, the person who was clad in a black polo shirt with the daring inscription ‘#END HIV’ through the go to, recounted the darkest chapter of his life, a time when he by no means thought he would see one other day.
“When I discovered I used to be optimistic, I believed that was the tip. I used to be so ignorant, I didn’t know that there was any treatment. I simply believed that when you check optimistic, dying is definite,” he expressed.
Before understanding his HIV standing, Akpan’s life appeared promising as he was working as a fleet supervisor for a significant oil firm in Lagos, a place of accountability and respect.
Despite incomes large, Akpan’s well being started to say no, his physique was betraying him, and it was turning into harder to cover the reality.
The indicators have been unattainable to disregard; boils appeared on his physique, relentless and painful, regardless of what number of antibiotics he took.
Speaking concerning the early challenges he confronted earlier than going for HIV screening, Akpan stated, “I simply realised that I maintain falling sick, I maintain taking place regardless of the cash I used to be getting. I used to be wanting like someone who had not seen cash earlier than.
“I used to be controlling a big fleet of automobiles, and I had drivers beneath me and most of these drivers have been asking me: sir, what is basically occurring? You should not wanting good. For a driver to inform his boss that he’s not wanting good in any respect, it’s best to know that my state of affairs was actually dangerous.
“But I used to be nonetheless working and you already know logistics is a really tedious job. They can name you in the course of the evening for rescue providers. And so I used to be additionally harassed with the job. But I used to be taking place each time I began having boili throughout my physique and all that. It was one among my brothers that I used to be staying with who stated: ‘you may have been falling sick and you haven’t gone to the hospital, can’t you go and examine your self? Go to the hospital, go and deal with your self so that you could be effectively. You can’t be working and you aren’t wanting effectively on daily basis you’re sick.’
“So, I walked into Ikeja General Hospital then, they weren’t calling it a educating hospital, we have been calling it a General Hospital, Ikeja. I walked in there and I demanded to do an HIV check by myself as a result of I had taken medication and a few remedy right here and there, however there was no enchancment; these boils maintain coming frequently. If I deal with this one with antibiotics this week, by subsequent week one other set will come out. So, it grew to become an embarrassing factor.
“When the hospital gave me a sealed report and stated I ought to take it to the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, I collected that doc, and I opened it as a result of it’s my well being. Nobody ought to learn about my well being greater than anyone. So, you’ll be able to’t conceal what’s my very own, and someone else can not know higher than me. So I open it and have a look at it. I noticed one thing reactive. Then I didn’t know what reactive meant, however I noticed one thing. He stated I ought to do a confirmatory check.
“As someone who has gone to high school; to verify one thing signifies that they’ve seen one thing. For you to be requested to go and make sure whether or not it’s what it’s, I concluded that this appears like I’ve HIV. Based on that, I refused to go. I stayed for yet one more yr. I used to be hiding it, I used to be extremely ignorant. I didn’t know there was any approach out. I simply felt since it’s HIV, I’ll die. So, I used to be ready for the day that dying would come.”
For an entire yr, Akpan stated he lived in denial, hiding his situation even from the girl he cherished.
“I attempted to learn how I obtained contaminated. I had already had a fiancée that I needed to marry who’s ultimately my spouse right this moment. I invited her from Port Harcourt to come back to Lagos. She got here and when she got here, I informed her that we would have liked to do a check. I stated we have to do HIV exams in order that we all know our standing.
“I needed to do the check in order that I might know whether or not she was HIV optimistic. After we did the check, I informed her to return, I didn’t permit her to have a look at the check, as a result of I already knew my very own. So, I made a decision that I went again to the place. At first, they didn’t wish to give me the check outcome. But since her personal was adverse, they didn’t have problem in giving me. Again, my very own stays reactive. They now requested me to nonetheless return to the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research for remedy.
“I used to be considering that that remedy was for them to kill me. So, based mostly on that, I refuse to go to NIMR. I say I’d quite die naturally than go to NIMR the place someone would simply inject me, and I’d simply die shortly. So, I made a decision to not go. Since I seen that my then fiancée was adverse, I didn’t have any downside together with her, I began going through my life,” he said.
Transmissible illness
According to the World Health Organisation, HIV, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is a virus that assaults the physique’s immune system, particularly the CD4 cells, which assist defend the physique from infections. If left untreated, HIV can result in AIDS, the ultimate and most extreme stage of the an infection, the place the immune system is severely broken.
WHO famous that HIV is primarily unfold via contact with sure physique fluids, akin to blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk.
While there isn’t a treatment for HIV, developments in remedy, significantly antiretroviral remedy have allowed individuals dwelling with the virus to guide lengthy and wholesome lives.
The world well being company estimated that about 39.9 million individuals have been dwelling with HIV on the finish of 2023, 65 per cent of whom are within the WHO African Region.
The well being physique added that an estimated 630,000 individuals died from HIV-related causes and an estimated 1.3 million individuals acquired HIV in 2023.
Also, the United Nations Children’s Fund revealed that Nigeria has the world’s second-highest burden of HIV/AIDS, with an estimated three million individuals dwelling with HIV and 190,950 new infections recorded in 2015.
Effects of ignorance
Akpan stated {that a} yr after he refused to hunt medical assist, his physique reached a breaking level and he slumped.
Narrating his expertise, he defined, “I struggled to face up, however it was onerous for me to face up. I stated, oh, that is attending to the purpose of dying. I concluded that this factor lastly succeeded in killing me.
“When I wakened, I raised my head, and every thing in my room turned to 4. I used to be not seeing it accurately once more. So, my eyes went to at least one facet. It remained there and by no means got here again to this facet. I struggled for the attention to show once more, however there was no approach. I noticed one merchandise in 4 locations, typically it seemed like 5, and typically seemed like six. So, typically I can’t even know which is the principle merchandise. And that was the start of my hassle.
“I referred to as my cousin to come back from Akwa-Ibom, he got here by evening bus and obtained to my facet within the early hours of the second day. I used to be nearly gone, I used to be not unconscious, however I used to be not feeling okay. I used to be having a severe headache; I’ve by no means had that sort. I’m certain any day I’ve that type of headache is the day I’m going to die. The headache was unimaginable and unexplainable.
“When my cousin got here, I privately disclosed my standing to him and informed him what to do ought to I die. And that he mustn’t permit anyone to molest my then fiancée. She has no hand in what occurred to me.
“They (my cousin and fiancée) took me that morning to the General Hospital once more. This time I used to be admitted to the General Hospital, I spent shut to at least one month in that hospital. I used to be very, very sick, and nearly all people at the moment who was with me in that ward died. I consider the ward was for individuals dwelling with HIV, and all people died besides me. When someone dies, they may convey one other individual. I can’t know the depend, however I do know that there have been greater than 10 that have been in that ward, and none of them got here out alive. It obtained to some extent the place I needed to inform them that I didn’t wish to keep in that world once more since all people was dying. They lied to me that the persons are not dying, that they’re recovering was why they took them away. They didn’t know that I used to be nonetheless having sense in myself, I used to be seeing that these individuals had died. They needed to transfer me out of the place.
“During this era, I can inform you that my physique was knocking down. My physique would simply soften and fall out. I used to be watching myself as my flesh was falling out. If there’s any classification of it, I believe I used to be having the final stage of AIDs. That is why I stated I’m dwelling a bonus life as a result of, at the moment, I had already concluded that I could not survive this.”
The pathway to getting higher
Despite this, Akpan survived. It wasn’t luck, however a powerful will and hope that saved him going.
After months of getting sicker, shut calls to dying, and feeling like his physique was giving up on him, Akpan discovered a approach ahead when he lastly determined to get remedy. Going to the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research marked the turning level.
Recounting the pathway to getting higher, he stated, “When I noticed that I could die, I made a decision to disclose to my fiancée that I’m HIV optimistic and her outcome was adverse. I informed her to not waste her time ready for me, I informed her to not trouble as a result of I’d possible die, and he or she couldn’t even marry me with HIV.
“She stated that it’s not true that she’s going to marry me except I die. She even stated I’m not going to die. I used to be simply laughing as a result of I believed she was simply doing it for me to really feel higher. I informed her to go dwelling, clean up and are available again. If in any respect she needs to come back again. But my considering was that she wouldn’t come again from there. So, I informed her the place to maintain the important thing, I gave her the telephone variety of my cousin in order that once I died she might name him. And I additionally informed her a few driver among the many fleet that may take my corpse dwelling. And how my burial must be performed. So, I deliberate my burial. And I informed them what to do and the type of casket that they should put me and all that. At the tip of it, she stayed, and he or she now insisted that we should always go to NIMR.
“I went to NIMR, I did a confirmatory check; they began checking me and all that. It took them about one month. I went there in August, and by September I had nonetheless not been given medication. There, I now noticed a lot of individuals who have been additionally dwelling with HIV. I started to say so I might stay, I now realised that I made a mistake, and I’d have come since. A yr earlier would have been higher for me.
“They checked my CD4 depend to know the extent of immunity that my physique has. As at the moment after they examined me, my CD4 depend was as little as 10; one of many least that ever lived.”
Called strolling corpse
Speaking additional, Akpan stated one of many medical doctors at NIMR referred to as him a strolling corpse due to his low immunity degree.
“I bear in mind one of many medical doctors once I was telling them after they refused to present me medication, they stated they needed to examine my kidney. One of the medical doctors stated they need to simply give me the drug and that I used to be already a strolling corpse. He thought possibly I’d not survive.
“When they positioned me on medication, I took the drug for like one month. The second month I used to be in my home, I began getting higher. I began arising. But that eye was nonetheless doing what it was doing.
“One day, I used to be simply closing my eyes, as I opened my eyes, my eyes moved again to regular. My eyes simply turned from the place that it was hanging. My eyes simply got here again and I began transferring my eyes.
“To lower the story quick, that lady married me. And Today we’ve three beautiful youngsters. My first youngster is eighteen years outdated, the second is 16 and the final born is 9. So I’ve three youngsters, all of them are HIV adverse. And this lady remains to be HIV-negative,” he said.
Turned to HIV champion
After getting higher, Akpan resigned from his paying job and determined to volunteer and assist create extra consciousness about HIV/AIDS.
Speaking on what motivated him to grow to be an HIV champion, he defined, “I believe for me, I’m decided to avoid wasting life. I stated if God can permit me to stay with the state of affairs that I used to be, then I have to do one thing that may make different individuals stay. So, I made a decision to come back out brazenly with my HIV standing. I’m not a medical individual, if I have been a medical individual, I’d be on the lookout for a treatment for HIV.
So, I really feel I can render my service by telling the individuals which you could stay with HIV and you’ll grow to be no matter God has destined you to grow to be.
“I began volunteering on the NIMR of their help group. The help group was large, they’d initiatives, and I used to be going there to assist them. I informed them that I needed to serve. They weren’t even giving me cash, no transport, nothing; I paid for my transport to NIMR.
“To perceive extra about NGOs, I made a decision to go to the University of Lagos to learn a course associated to humanitarian service which is neighborhood growth and social works on the grasp degree. After my commencement, I contested and was elected because the deputy coordinator of the help group.
“And after two years, the coordinator resigned. I grew to become the coordinator. After that, I contested once more. I grew to become a considerable coordinator at NIMR. I used to be coordinating the help group at NIMR. So, I used to be there for six years.
“After I completed my tenure, I began a neighborhood help group which is the Community Care and Development Initiative. I began that help group at Ibeju-Lekki the place I at the moment stay. From that help group, I got here out to contest because the coordinator of NEPWHAN.
“This isn’t the primary time I contested. When I used to be in NIMR, I misplaced. But I persevered, I continued, and I did it once more in 2019 and I received. As you’ll be able to see I’m not a Yoruba man, however I’m a coordinator in Lagos State. So, due to the work that they noticed me doing, I volunteered. I used to be doing the work, the work myself. I used to be additionally given one other alternative to go for an additional six years. So I’ve served for 5 years. I nonetheless have 5 years left. I believe I will probably be one of many longest-serving NEPWHAN coordinators.”
Leveraging on alternatives
Akpan said that being HIV optimistic has, surprisingly, given him an sudden benefit over others.
He added, “So, I really feel I can render my service by telling the individuals which you could stay with HIV and you’ll grow to be no matter God has destined you to grow to be. Today I sit down with distinguished individuals, the Governor of the state, the spouse of the Governor, administrators of industries and all that. I work together with them due to HIV, not due to my schooling.
“Being optimistic is a bonus to me as a result of it has led me to know lots of people. I work together with the United Nations, and lots of people that you could be not even consider; USAID, Global Fund. I’ve interacted with so many worldwide organisations due to my HIV standing. So, people who find themselves hiding are nonetheless dwelling in the way in which I used to be dwelling earlier than. They have no idea that alternatives are ready for them on this area.”
Raising Awareness from the beginning
As the world strikes towards the aim of ending AIDS by 2030, Akpan harassed the significance of steady consciousness campaigns and authorities motion to make sure that the battle in opposition to the illness stays on observe.
Akpan famous that probably the most essential steps in combating HIV is early schooling.
He proposed that HIV must be built-in into college curriculums throughout Nigeria.
“HIV must be a compulsory course for college kids. When younger persons are educated about HIV in class, they are going to be higher geared up to problem stigma and misinformation after they encounter it later in life,” he maintained.
He highlighted the distinction between educating youngsters and adults, noting that whereas youngsters’s minds are like ‘empty vessels’ prepared to soak up new data, adults have already fashioned their opinions and should resist studying about HIV.
Akpan urged that consciousness must be constant, with radio stations, media shops, and company social accountability programmes taking part in a key position in spreading the message.
Future of HIV remedy in Nigeria
A major concern for Akpan is the deliberate withdrawal of worldwide donors, such because the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Global Fund, by 2030.
Akpan stated from 2023, the federal government would wish to tackle full accountability for HIV remedy, together with offering medication for individuals dwelling with HIV.
Akpan expressed his fears for the longer term, noting that with out continued authorities help, many Nigerians might be left with out entry to life-saving HIV remedy.
“If the Nigerian authorities fails to take this significantly, all of the progress we’ve made might be undone,” he warned.
He harassed that many individuals might not be capable to afford the drugs if they’re now not supplied without spending a dime, resulting in a possible rise in HIV-related deaths and infections.
He advocated for the inclusion of HIV remedy in Nigeria’s medical health insurance plans, hoping that each personal and public insurance coverage schemes would recognise the significance of masking these remedies, even when it means subsidising prices for individuals dwelling with HIV.
What govt. ought to do
Akpan referred to as on the federal government to start getting ready for the transition.
“There remains to be time earlier than 2030, and the federal government ought to be taught from the most effective practices that worldwide donors have been implementing,” he said.
He additionally harassed the necessity to incorporate consultants who’ve been working within the area of HIV into the federal government’s well being infrastructure.
By absorbing these professionals, Akpan argued that the federal government can guarantee continuity and preserve the experience wanted to handle the nation’s HIV response successfully.
Change in angle towards remedy
A key problem within the battle in opposition to HIV, in response to Akpan, is that many individuals fail to take remedy significantly till they fall sick.
“When persons are identified with HIV however really feel wholesome, they typically resist taking remedy,” he defined.
Akpan emphasised the significance of beginning remedy instantly after a analysis, even when the individual feels effectively.
“Don’t wait till you’re sick to start out taking your remedy. If you catch the illness early and keep in your remedy, you’ll be able to stay a protracted and wholesome life,” he suggested.
The path to ending AIDS
Akpan stated he’s sceptical about Nigeria’s skill to eradicate AIDS by 2030, citing the massive variety of individuals nonetheless unaware of their HIV standing.
“It’s solely potential if we cease new infections, however so long as new infections maintain taking place, AIDS will persist,” he warned.
For Nigeria to fulfill its goal of ending AIDS by 2030, Akpan insisted that each citizen should take accountability for his or her well being by getting examined, understanding their HIV standing, and beginning remedy if needed.
“Early detection and proactive remedy changes can assist stop severe well being points down the road,” Akpan stated.
World AIDS Day is commemorated on December 1 yearly to boost consciousness about HIV/AIDS in addition to to honour individuals who’ve died from AIDS-related sicknesses.
According to the World Health Organisation, the theme for this yr is “Take the fitting path: My well being, my proper!”
The theme goals to handle the inequalities that hinder progress in ending AIDS by 2030.
