Sunday, February 16, 2025 - The Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, AKSACA, has warned all health facilities in the state against disruption of HIV services.
It would be recalled that shortly after the US government announced the
90 days withdrawal of funding to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS
Relief, PEPFAR, program, some health facilities in Nigeria allegedly shut
operation of HIV services, including testing and giving out anti-retroviral
drugs.
Arising from a stakeholders engagement in Uyo, over the weekend, the
AKSACA Program Manager, Dr Enobong Akpan said with the partners, the agency was
committed to ensuring the continuity of high-quality HIV services for the
people of Akwa Ibom State.
Akpan noted that the state government has been providing all the
necessary supports, test kits and other items even as he specifically called
for provision of reagents for PCR Machines in UUTH and other facilities.
He stressed that the drugs and services remained free and warned any
provider who attempts selling them even as he urged the public to report any
incident of sharp practice like attempting to sell anti,retroviral drugs.
Akpan also urged those living with HIV/AIDS to go to nearest health
facility to access their drugs and other services noting that luxury days where
drugs would be brought to them to their houses are over.
He said, “All the health facilities in the state have been directed to
ensure that there is no service disruption of HIV Services at all the
facilities.”
While calling for a harmonized data and program tools, he urged
government officials to always do documentations themselves to get realtime
data.
Akpan, who harped on intensive sensitization on health improving
behaviours among people living with HIV/AIDS, called on religious leaders to
help in dispelling stigma even as he announced the launch of a social media
platform tagged ‘The Red Ribbon Movement, where weekly prevention messages
would be put out to engage and inform the public on HIV response.
He, therefore, called on all stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society, and international partners, to work together in reducing the impact of the funding shortfall and ensure that no one is left behind in the fight against HIV.
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