The governor of Cross River State in southern Nigeria, Senator Bassey Otu has assured of increased health sector funding to guarantee access for HIV/AIDS treatment and support.
Governor Otu, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Anthony Owan-Enoh at this year celebration of World Aids Day in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, gave the assurance to residents.
Commending the World Health Organisation (WHO) for selecting the 2024 World Aids Day theme “Take the rights path: My health, my right!,” Governor Otu said that the 2025 budget for the sector was the one of the largest allocations to the sector in recent times.
Otu assured that with the implementation of the budget, the State’s Insurance Healthcare Scheme, people impacted by HIV and other diseases would have easy access to affordable care.
“We have spent the last 18 months of this administration rebuilding healthcare architecture and we can assure you that from January next year, you will see a total transformation of the sector. This government is very sincere to provide access to affordable care to the people.
“We can rest assure what we say we will do, we do it. When we plan, we execute; when we envision, we move to action. So, health is going to be on the front burner of this administration beginning from January next year because we have studied the whole architecture and we have the solution,” he stated.
Continuing, the governor said, “It is our responsibility as the ‘People First’ government to translate the rights of our people to action because rights without responsibility is empty. It is our right as government to bring more funds to support our services. We are prepared to provide 100 percent counterpart funds to make sure every aspect of health in this state is actually on the front burner.”
He cautioned people including visitors, tourists and residents to take health matters seriously as they engage in merry making during the Yuletide, noting that December 1st also marks the commencement of the 32 days Calabar Festival.
Grassroots Sensitization
In an interview with some journalists, the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Vivian Otu expressed appreciation to development partners and donor agencies for collaborating with the agency to make HIV/AIDS commodities available for grassroots distribution.
Dr. Otu further said, “We took a street walk in support of people living with the virus because they have the right to live, right to mingle in society without discrimination, segregation and stigmatisation. As an agency, we offer services to people living with the virus at all our primary healthcare centres and posts.
“We are at the forefront battling new incidences and prevalence occasioned by outbreak of the coronavirus, which caused a rise in the prevalence rate. So, we went back to the grassroots sensitizing, educating and offering free HIV/AIDS services and ensuring that they comply with their medication to avoid complications that may arise from lack of compliance,” she stated.
She reiterated the commitment of the agency to upholding the rights and dignity of people living with the virus and appreciated the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Egbe Ayuk for support the agency to embark on grassroots sensitization campaigns across the state.
Highlight of the celebration was a drama presentation by some young people on the theme as well as free counseling and testing to the public.
Comments are closed.