By Emeka Samuel
Akwa Ibom state government has downplayed down it’s worst rating on the HIV prevalence in the country saying that the latest figure actually indicates a decline in HIV the state rather than an increase while.
This followed criticism that trailed the recent Nigeria Aids Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari last week in Abuja which showed that the state has an HIV prevalence of 5.5% against the National prevalence of 1.4%, making A’Ibom the state with the highest HIV prevalence in the country.
State commissioner for health Dr. Domnic Ukpong in a press statement made available to newsmen in Uyo said that the state average dropped from 8.8 percent to 5.5 percent from 2014 to 2018.
The commissioner, however, attributed the high value attached to the state to demographic and cultural factors including its coastal location, friendly environment and friendly disposition of the people.
“The location of the state with a large coastal front of 129 Km stretching from Ikot Abasi to Oron, an airport, good road network peaceful atmosphere, friendly disposition of our people, good cuisine and fast developing economy have made our state the destination of choice for both national and international visitors.
“All these are not without attendant public health consequences, like the transmission of communicable diseases which HIV/AIDS cannot be excluded.” The statement said.
The state government Ukpong said would however step up collaboration through the Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of AIDS (AKSACA)and Akwa Ibom State HIV /AIDS and STI Control Programme (SASCP) with Implementing Partners, Faith-Based Organizations, People Living with HIV/ AIDs, (PLHIV) and other stakeholders towards providing immediate and long term interventions.
According to the commissioner, the immediate measures would include increasing access to HIV testing services and increasing access to treatment by creating three new comprehensive treatment centers, one in each of the three Senatorial Districts in the State.
Others include empowering the State Primary Health Care Development Board to kick-start activities, embarking on statewide community outreaches and enlightenment campaigns to create demand for the uptake of HIV services and strategizing for effective intervention among drivers of new infections in line with the new national strategic framework 2019- 2023.
Also, long term measures he said would include advocacy to LGAs and the State Assembly to put in place laws to protect people living with HIV and to curb transmission of new infections, by expeditiously deliberating and passing the bill on Anti Stigma and Discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDS.
It would also include initiating the process of developing a bill to prosecute persons found to willfully infect or transmit the virus to other people.
