Spread of HIV/AIDS through nail cutting…. by Keziah Yusuf
The euphoria of the world AIDS day celebration is very much in the air, just like other years it is not without a significant theme, for 2018 the world put her gaze on ” Know your status”. This is another wake up call on families, communities, localities, states, and countries to rise to the occasion of validating your HIV status to live a safe and healthy life.
Investigation overtime, shows that periodic attention by National Action for the Control of Aids (NACA), States Aids Control, Local Aids control, civil societies, partner or donor agencies concentrate greater focus in distributing kits such as condoms (male, female), lubricants also known as condom oil, moisturizers than constant testing , regular sensitization and more effective monitoring to curtail risky practices, project and present practicable healthy methods. This regular visit may help to highlight the dangers inherent in patronizing the local nail cutters popularly referred to as ‘Mai yankamparichi’, who hawk their trade from street- street, market- market, local council- local council cutting the nails of willing customers, aside from the ‘Mai yankamparichi’ , you have the local hair stylists who move about with their soap and scissors of all shapes, locally made clipper, Razor blade . One major advantage of patronizing these men is the fact that it brings out the beauty of your finger and toe nails as it is given the best shape, as well as the beauty of your scalp comes out neatly . A regular mobile nail cutter moves about with his soap container for softing nails, cleaning work tools, scrissors of several shapes and designs, flat sharp metals for cleaning the dirts between the two toe nail edges, amongst the scissor is one that gives specific sounds constant callers are familiar to such as it is hardly misconstrued or unnoticed.
Our reporter, moved from the spare parts market in mushin to the popular Agege railway market sampling the views of market men and women on if they know the theme of this year’s celebration, reasons why they patronize them going by the adjudged risks from HIV/ AIDS, hepatitis and so many other unknown predisposing challenges. Many claimed they are not interested their status as knowing heightens your fears, some others claimed that it will be a delight to know their status as it will help them to live a healthy live. Yusuf, was quick to say that he enjoys their services as it brings out the aesthetic of his nails. Okechukwu, noted that he oftentimes call for their services as it helps him serve time, instead of looking for blade to cut my nail, I beckon on them to do what they like doing best. Yinusah, noted that his services ranges from #50 to #100 depending on the area and the individual customer. According to Biliamuyuh, was quick to say he enjoys their services and when asked how safe the service is he claimed that he insists on being cut with a currently burnt scissors, he added that the burning is achieved with a ‘lighter’ as form of sterilizing the tools.Biliamuyuh, agreed that it takes one that is knowledgeable to insist on this safe practice as ‘Mai yankamparichi’ nail cutters are always in haste to service countless customers , thereby neglecting or abandoning safety measures and putting their lives risks. One thing note worthy is the fact that patronage is not religious ,cultural selective. Although the chunk of the ‘Mai yankampari’ are northerners but due to the mastery of work it is patronised by the both gender from all extractions and from all classes the poor and the rich but the activities can be looked into in other to maintain acceptable safety measures .
Research, constantly highlights that concerned regulatory bodies consider this skill less susceptible, little wonder why there is little or no search light on practices. Among the known modes of transmission which includes sexual intercourse with infected person, blood transfusion (unscreened), mother to child, sharing of infected sharp objects. Sex is believed to be the fastest mode of contracting HIV across board, this is without recourse to silent but significant mode such as use of infected objects as the possibility of contracting via sharp use of items and transmitting swiftly through sex. There are times women who patronize pedicure/manicure shops have argued unabated on their innocence and the impossibility of being the major distributor of the virus going by their chastity to their spouse, forgetting the status of their various attendants.
Report by Indian council of medical research states that 1981-2017 there has been overall decline in 35 States as level of HIV infection/ AIDS related deaths is on the downward swing.There are 87,590 new and 69,110 AIDS related in 2017. However, about 75 percent of people living with HIV are aware of their status, this confirms about 9.4million people are not aware of their status. According to NACA about 2.3 million people are newly infected in 2012.
