Anambra State Government Affirms Collaboration With UNAIDS To Combat HIV/AIDS

Anambra State Government has affirmed that it will continue to collaborate with the Joint United Nations Programme on Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome HIV/AIDS, (UNAIDS) to fight the disease across the state.

 

READ ALSO:Anambra state: over 7,150 Women Benefit From Free Cervical Cancer Test

 

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, disclosed this during a two-day Prevention Technical Working Group meeting in Awka. He also stated that the distribution of eighty-four thousand free HIV self-testing kits has been made available in the state. According to Dr Obidike, the kits will empower individuals to know their HIV status across the state.

 

“It is good to note that the Stakeholders who were drawn from various organizations agreed to strengthen the collaboration, also adopted a comprehensive approach to HIV prevention.”

 

Dr. Obidike added that the State government is intensifying awareness efforts and collaboration to minimize HIV prevalence while emphasizing the importance of preventive measures for those uninfected and adherence to medication for those living with the virus.

 

“We are very much of the efforts of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) which is an innovative joint venture of the United Nations family that brings together the efforts and resources of 11United Nations (UN) system organizations to unite the world against AIDS”, he said.

 

He commended Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA), UNAIDS for their continued partnership as well as strengthening collaboration in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

 

“This forum served as a platform to identify existing gaps and challenges in achieving the global ninety-five prevention target where participants brainstormed on strategies to address these gaps within the state.”

 

The Executive Director of ANSACA, Mr. Johnbosco Ementa, highlighted the agency’s commitment to sustaining HIV response efforts even as he noted that ANSACA has implemented prevention mapping tools to assess agencies’ actions and areas of intervention.

 

Mr. Ementa encouraged the public to support the ongoing intervention in the state, which includes free antenatal care services declared by Governor Chukwuma Soludo and to regularly check their HIV status and help to combat stigma against those living with the virus.

 

Earlier, the Director of Public Health, Anambra State Ministry of Health, Dr. Afam Aneme emphasized the preventive measures such as abstinence, faithfulness to partners, and consistent condom use when necessary.

 

State representative of UNAIDS, Dr. Ada Anosike decried on the high levels of stigmatisation and discrimination against people living with HIV in the state, emphasizing the need to shun the discrimination.

 

Meanwhile, partners who participated in interface to support HIV prevention effort wer:Achieving Health Nigeria Initiative (AHNI), UNAIDS, Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWAN), AIDS Health Care Foundation (AHF), and Local Action Committee on AIDS (LACA) .