The State Director-General, Abia State Agency for the Control of Aids, Dr Uloaku Emma-Ukaegbu, says the Agency is not leaving any stone unturned to mitigate the spread of HIV infection.
Dr Ukaegbu who stated this in her office at Amachara Specialist Hospital, Umuahia shortly after she received the members of Greater Women Initiative for Health and Right for briefing on Community-Led Monitoring activities across selected LGAs in the State to assess the quality, accessibility and responsive of HIV, TB and Malaria services in health facilities, called on them to ensure accurate and seamless survey that will help to smooth their mission.
She assured that the Agency will continue to strengthen the collaboration with the Greater Women Initiative for Health and Rights and called on them to always reach out to the Abia State Agency for the Control of Aids for guidance and support.
Contributing, the State Coordinator, State Aids Program, Dr Omende Kelechi who appreciated the leadership of the Greater Women Initiative for Health and Right for their commitment and quality job done so far, announced that the government has commenced the process of procure HIV and AIDS, TB, happetitis and other sexually transmitted diseases testing kits worth of over 20 million to prevent the deadly disease and assured that they will be supported to undergo their community-led monitoring activities which is slated to end in December this year.
He noted that the State Health Care System has received an utmost attention especially in rebuilding of Health Centres and availability of funds and equipment, stressing that the mission to stop HIV and AIDS infection circulation has been expanded as the government has employed physicians that will handle Pre-P in the State and called on the Initiative to work closely with the newly employed Doctors for Pre-P to make their job easier.
In his remarks, the leader of the Greater Women Initiative for Health and Right, Mr Jude Obiano, pointed out that several challenges such as lack of HIV, TB and Malaria kits in the numerous Primary Health Care facilities have continued to limit effectiveness, accessibility and responsiveness of good quality service delivery, noting that low screening rates remains a key factor in the increase of HIV infection.
Mr Obiano assured that the advocacy briefing will strengthen their survey which will end in December and reiterated the need for equipment to be dispatched to the various Primary Health Care facilities in the State to better response.
In his message, the State Program M and E led on GC7 project for Network of people living with HIV Aids in Nigeria Chief Whyte Ikocha, opined that the advocacy brief will ameliorate the dreaded diseases that are killing people, especially those in rural areas, as the availability of the health equipment will go a long way to ameliorate them.
