HIV/AIDS: Ebonyi first lady urges community leaders to increase awareness

Ebonyi state Government, in collaboration with Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Foundation (BERWO), urged community leaders to increase awareness about the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), to end the scourge by 2030.

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They made the call during an event to commemorate the 2023 World AIDS Day (WAD), in Abakaliki with the theme “Communities’ Leadership to End AIDS by 2030.”

The Wife of the Ebonyi Governor, Mrs MaryMaudline Nwifuru, emphasised the important roles that communities and their leaders play in the fight against the scourge.

Nwifuru, who is the Founder of BERWO, urged members to take the lead in addressing challenges posed by the epidemic.

She pleaded with community leaders in the state to join hands with the Ministry of Health and the foundation in raising awareness, combating stigma and discrimination to archive the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goal by the year 2030.

“The goal is to ensure that 95 per cent of the world’s population living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of people who know their status are on treatment, while 95 per cent of people on treatment have suppressed viral loads.”

The governor’s wife, encouraged stakeholders to often educate people on AIDS prevention, support and control.

The Commissioner for Health, Mr Moses Ekuma, encouraged the public to avoid risky behaviours and advised those living with the virus to adhere strictly to their medications.

He explained that, “AIDS is a life-threatening condition. Let all hands be on deck, stakeholders and community leaders must continue the HIV fight to ensure that the target of ending the scourge by 2030 is achieved.

“We should start by knowing our status,” Ekuma advised.

Mr Chibueze Iteshi, the Programme Manager, Ebonyi State Agency for the Control of AIDS (EBOSACA), said the agency had rolled out plan through other partners to conduct test for people.

Iteshi said over 14,000 people living with the virus are taking their retroviral drugs.

Mr Uche Agu, Representative of World Health Organisation, USAID-Integrated Health Programme, called for the support of communities in leading the HIV response.

Meanwhile, Mrs Chinyere Okorie, the Coordinator, Association of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS, commended government and partners for the unique event and called for more support in the provision of the retroviral drugs.