No fewer than 181,824 male and female condoms were distributed during the 2025 Carnival Calabar as part of a coordinated HIV prevention and youth health campaign by the Cross River State Government and its partners.
The Director-General of the Cross River State Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr Charles Iwara, disclosed this on Saturday, saying the intervention was carried out under the ninth edition of the Wise Up Carnival Campaign.
Iwara said the month-long campaign, implemented in partnership with the state Ministry of Health and the United Nations Population Fund, ran from December 1, to mark World AIDS Day, through December 29, coinciding with the peak of the carnival festivities.
According to him, a major strategy was the establishment of the Wise Up Health Booth at the Calabar Christmas Village, one of the busiest social and entertainment hubs during the yuletide period.
“The booth provided youth-friendly, stigma-free access to integrated health services outside the traditional hospital setting, allowing us to reach young people and visitors who might otherwise not seek care,” he said.
He revealed that nearly 100,000 persons were reached with health education, behavioural counselling, and sexual and reproductive health information and services during the campaign.
Iwara added that 1,189 people also underwent HIV testing, noting that all individuals who tested positive were immediately linked to care and treatment to strengthen prevention and referral outcomes.
Introduced in 2016, the Wise Up Carnival Campaign has become a major platform for delivering HIV prevention messages and youth health services during periods of high population movement into the state.
The 2025 edition was held under the theme, “Your Choice Leaves Traces,” which aligned with Carnival Calabar’s 20th anniversary theme, “Traces of Time,” to highlight the long-term health consequences of choices made during celebrations.
Beyond HIV prevention, Iwara said the campaign offered malaria and hepatitis screening, blood pressure and blood sugar checks, family planning services, pregnancy testing, medical consultations, and support for survivors of gender-based violence.
He noted that over 75 trained volunteers drove the campaign, with support from the Cross River State Government and UNFPA, reaffirming the state’s commitment to preventive healthcare during large-scale social events.
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