CALABAR–To mark the World AIDS Day with this year’s theme being; END INEQUALITIES, END AIDS THROUGH SUSTAINABLE HIV FINANCING, the Director General of the State’s Agency for the Control of AIDS Dr Etcheri Ansa has charged cross riverians to make it a habit to always know their HIV status at least once in every 3 Months to be on a safe side.
Speaking during the World AIDS Day Celebration that had the State Governor Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade ably represented by the Honorable Commissioner for Health Dr Betta Edu, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar Prof. Florence Obi, the Director General of the CRSPHCDA Dr Janet Ekpenyong, the Chairman House Committee on Health Hon. Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, the Chairman of Calabar South LGA Hon. 3Esther amongst others in attendance to grace the event, the Health Commissioner Dr Betta Edu has reiterated the State’s commitment in ensuring that the prevalence rate of HIV in the State be reduced to zero.
“World AIDS day remind us of an opportunity to harness the power of people and communities in a bid to control the spread of the HIV virus as it remains the only way to ensure that ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 in Nigeria is possible.”
Dr Edu said the HIV prevalence rate in the State has reduced from 2.1 percent to 1.7 percent. “It is still a source of concern to the State government who has vowed to bring it down to 0.001%.”
On her part the Director General of the Agency Dr Etcheri Ansa expressed her gratitude to the State Government for the immense support. “Cross River State under the administration of Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade has done exceedingly well in managing this situation with huge support from the government its on this note that i humbly wish to thank the administration of His Excellency Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade for his tremendous support to the Agency and for leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that cross riverians remain safe and disease free.
“A big thank you to Her Excellency Dr. Linda Ayade for her wonderful support and motherly role toward the Agency. To the most active and workaholic Health Commissioner Dr. Betta Edu, a friend and a sister, SACA cannot thank you enough for all you do. To our wonderful host and mother Prof. Florence Obi Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, thank you for being a wonderful host and for always supporting the activities of the cross river state government. As you mark your one year anniversary as the first female Vice Chancellor of this prestigious Institution, may i remind you that indeed you have proven to not being only a leader but a mother. To my sister Dr Janet Ekpenyong the DG of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, SACA appreciates you for all you do, Hon. Ekpo Ekpo and my dear Sister the Chairman of Calabar South LGA Hon. Esther we appreciate your support.
“To all our partners, let me use this medium to appreciate you for your immense support to the Agency especially UNICEF, UNFPA, Jhpiego, Heartland Alliance, AHF, CCRN, FHI360, and others. Let me reassure you again that we will continue to work in harmony and synergy.”
Dr Ansa appealed to the government to continue to support the activities of SACA while soliciting to partners to always have a coordinated data collection format so as to avoid double counting as this tends to affect data collection and collation.
The Chief Host and Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Professor Florence Banku Obi stated that the Institution have intensified efforts to always place people and community first through creating awareness on HIV/AIDS prevention, noting that discrimination and ensuring gap between people who have access to HIV services and people who are being left behind is reduced.
Dr Janet Ekpenyong called on cross riverians to avoid stigmatization assuring them that HIV/AIDS is never a death sentence as such those living with the virus should continue to access their drugs religiously as that is the only way to reduce the viral load and make them fine again as Hon. Ekpo Ekpo assured cross riverians of a continuous synergy between the executive and the legislature to ensure that HIV stigmatization law is being made possible.
Highlights of the event was the commissioning of the Unical Youth Friendly Hub, free HIV/AIDS Testing and Counseling, Distribution of Condoms and other AIDS items amongst others.
