Already a high-risk area for contracting HIV and developing AIDS, Nigeria is now facing another HIV/AIDS epidemic. On Tuesday, Nigerian workers were in a general state of sheer panic, caused by a public service announcement issued by the Federal Ministry of Labor. The Federal Ministry of Labor announced that there has been evidence of the Humane Immune Deficiency Virus, commonly known by its abbreviation, HIV, among many workers both in the federal and state ministries, but also in a considerable number of private Nigerian establishments.

These affirmations were made at the World AIDS Day awareness campaign, by Deputy Director and Lagos state controller of the Ministry, Nofisat Arogundade. The World Day and the campaign as a whole were organized by the African Petroleum in Lagos. They have announced that they already taken a series of measures in order to “protect the victims against stigmatization.”

Arogundade has so far declined the offer to comment upon the exact statistics regarding the number of workers that have so far tested positive for HIV. However, she did state that the Federal Government has updated the current labor laws, through the responsible ministry – the Federal Ministry of Labor – in order to make them suitable for this new situation. She assured the public that these new measures ensure that the workers infected with HIV or AIDS are not being fired and marginalized, but they are receiving the necessary care. Also, the Federal Ministry of Labor has also employed extra medical staff who will provide those infected with the necessary ART treatment.