Jigawa Assembly passes by law on HIV test before marriage.

During yesterday plenary, Chairman of the Committee on the Control of HIV/AIDS, Ibrahim Suleman Gwiwa has said that the Jigawa State House of Assembly has passed a bill which makes it compulsory for all intending couples to undergo test for HIV/AIDs, twice, in the last three months before marriage is contracted, adding that the bill intends to provide free and compulsory HIV/AID test before marriage as well prohibit all forms of discrimination and stigmatization against people living with virus.
Gwiwa also said that the bill became necessary because the disease was spreading in the state through marriages contracted without HIV tests, between prospective couple.
He explained that in the bill, Sharia and Magistrate Courts would have jurisdiction to try HIV/AIDs related offences and added that, on the other hand, Association for People living with HIV/AIDs and State Agency for the Control of AIDs would be deployed for enforcement at all levels.
“The bill intends to provide free and compulsory HIV/AIDs test before marriage and to prohibit all forms of discrimination and stigmatization against persons living with the virus in Jigawa with a view to curbing the spread of the deadly virus in the state.
“Intending couples should submit themselves together to the same facility and the result should be open to them by the counselor at the same time.