Resource Persons, Participants At Consultative Meeting On HIV/ AIDS Call For Collective Action, Sustained Fund To Eradicate Scourge

Resource persons and facilitators at a one-day consultative meeting on ending inequality and HIV epidemic control in Anambra state, have called for all hands to be on deck to ensure eradication and management of persons living with HIV AIDS through sustainable financing.

The meeting, organized by the Anambra state government with the support of development partners, was to mark World AIDS day and has its objective as to understand the major inequality in the State that constitute barriers to  access  HIV care and treatment for people living with HIV /AIDS, and those at the risk of being infected.

Speaking during the event, a former ANSACA Director in the state, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim thanked health workers who are risking their lives to ensure that those living with the virus get the best of services, and commended the State government for orgarnizing the event.

Dr Ibezim, who is the Deputy governor-elect, urged affluent individuals in the society to enroll those affected with the virus into the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency for easy access to medical treatment.

The Coordinator, Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Mr. Abukadir Ibrahim commended Anambra state for their efforts in ensuring that those living with the virus access medical services and encouraged relevant stakeholders to take the fight against the disease seriously, while the Country Director, United Nations AIDS, Mr. Cosmos Morah, harped on the need for both the patients, government, community and development partners to play their roles in the issue of sustainable financing.

Earlier, the Anambra AIDS Programme Cordinator, Dr.Afam-Cyril Anieme , said the aim of the programme was to commemorate the World AIDS day as well as brainstorm on the challenges they have in the State, with a view to finding an amicable solution, especially as it concerns comprehensive HIV/AIDS services to Ndi Anambra, and disclosed that over thirty five thousand residents of the State are living with the virus.

A youth living with the virus, Mr. Francis Nwankwo enumerated some of the challenges threatening the assessment, management and eradication of the virus to include, religious, cultural and societal norms and advocated  the elimination of user fee for those living with the virus.

Correspondent Chibuzor Okoye reports that a minute silence was observed for those who have died of HIV/AIDS, while the theme of this year’s event was “End Inequality End AIDS Through Sustainable Financing.