By Isaac Kertyo, Makurdi
Benue State AIDS Control Agency, BENSACA, has disclosed that continued attacks on Benue residents by suspected armed bandits, herdsmen as well as flooding which rendered many people homeless, has hampered effective fight against HIV,AIDS pandemic in the state.
Acting Executive Secretary of BENSACA, Dr Jacob Awodi who made the disclosure in Makurdi, while fielding questions from Day Break, expressed displeasure that most of the patients find it difficult to access the drugs, leading to resistance of the virus.
” Insecurity and flooding have affected our fight against HIV and AIDS because people on treatment are being displaced on a daily basis, so they find it difficult to access the drugs, leading to resistance of the virus.
The Executive Secretary, however, maintained that the prevalence of the aforementioned disease has dropped significantly from 16.8 percent to 4.9 percent, adding that the fight is not over yet.
His words: ” At the initial stage, we had 16.8 percent, currently according to NAIIRS’s survey, it has dropped to 4.9 percent, the fight is not over yet. We have 263,000 people who are HIV AIDS positive and are placed on treatment.”
He stressed that the agency and partners such as Global Funds, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, AHF, among other international organizations are collaborating towards reaching Epidemic Control by the year, 2030.
Dr Awodi, assured that the Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia’s led administration would create an enabling environment for Implementing partners to intervene, averring that with the Governor’s disposition, he will release counterpart funds.
He identified lack of vehicles and manpower as major challenges confronting the agency, and appealed to the Governor to intervene to enable them render effective service.
