GOOD NEWS: HIV Scourge in Cross River State drops by 0.5%..

The prevalent rate of HIV/AIDS in Cross River State has dropped by 0.5%, a Director of National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr. Marian Ezekwe has said.

Ezekwe stated this yesterday at the Presbyterian Primary School, Ikom during the commencement of a 4-Day medical and HIV testing and counseling outreach held simultaneously in Ikom and Edor towns,both of Ikom Local Government Area in the Central Senatorial District of Cross River State.

According to her, the state recorded a skyrocketed prevalent rate of 7.1% in 2010, but later recorded a nose dive from 7.1 to 6.6% in 2014, an indication that Cross River was doing its bid in the fight against the HIV/AIDS scourge in the state.

Ezekwe further attributed the reduction of the disease in the state ‘’to the high level of awareness and the desire by people to now come out publicly and receive treatment without fear of stigmatization and discrimination as more people are now more open and forthcoming to checking for the disease’’.
She added that the bill against stigmatization has already been passed into law by the Nigerian National Assembly as more positive developments are now being expected to be recorded in reducing the disease across the country.

While positing that the aim of the exercise was to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ending HIV/AIDS in the year 2030, the NACA Director said: “What we are having here is part of the 999 strategy because our theme for this year is ending AIDS in the year 2030 and the only way you can end AIDS is by knowing your status; what this means is that at least 90% of persons should know their status.”

On his part, Dr. Patrick Olisa, the coordinator of Friends Forever Society, the vendor organization that facilitated the programme in Ikom Local Government Area, said NACA with funding from SURE-P is tackling HIV/AIDS differently this time as the organization now maintains a holistic approach of also checking for other diseases that are perceived to come alongside with the contracting of HIV/AIDS.

According to him, “NACA has changed the plan, we check HIV holistically now multiple diseases, not as HIV alone; they have included other tests; they are checking for weight, height, blood pressure, sugar test, malaria and we have had talks about hygiene, Ebola, safe ante-natal health; and there has been free drugs supply.”

The exercise which is carried out in collaboration with the Cross River state ministry of Health attracted a huge turnout at both the Ikom and Edor centres.

Some of the Beneficiaries including Mrs. Felicia Okpata and Mrs. Akala Edith Christopher thanked the government for affording them the opportunity which they would not have had if they were to source for funds and go to hospital while further urging members of the public to take advantage of the opportunity ‘’because everything from the cards to testing and issuance of drugs are done free of charge.