OYO FIRST LADY CALLS FOR REMOVAL OF TREATMENT FEE FOR HIV/AIDS PATIENT
The Governor’s wife said that Human Immune Deficiency virus (HIV) treatment reduced mortality and morbidity among People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and reduced their potential to infect others, noting that the user fees has discouraged many of the patients from seeking treatment and reduced access to treatment.
“The removal of the user fees is the only way we can make life easier for them and put an end to this epidemic, without a free access to treatment, we can’t improve their quality of life and ensure they live meaningful and productive lives’.
“It is my heartfelt desire, as I leave office, that NCA will look for a way to relieve PLHIV of the burden of paying any user fees or otherwise for their treatment. I hope that the NC will make Ibadan proud as the place where a lasting solution was agreed on to end this lingering problem militating access to lifesaving treatment for PLHIV and their families,” she said.
Penpushing further reports that, Ajimobi said that the State Government appropriated over N200 million to Oyo State Agency for the Control of AIDS( OYSACA) in the 2019 budget, pointing out that the funding from the State Government had greatly help the agency to yield unprecedented achievements in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“As this administration is drawing to an end, I will be transitioning out of my position as the Chairperson of OYSACA with a deep sense of gratitude to God and satisfaction that I’m leaving the agency a lot better than I met it, I am also fulfilled that a lot have been positively touched by my leadership of the agency”.
The Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Sani Aliyu, in his remark said that bringing down the cost of HIV treatment is a priority of the present administration, emphasising that efforts are underway to get World Health Organisation(WHO) pre-qualification for the production of antiretroviral drugs by some pharmaceutical companies based in the country.
“Clearly, a lot has happened in relation to the HIV/AIDS response since the last council meeting. Key among them, which is also the central point of the current meeting, is the completion of the world’s largest population-based HIV/AIDS survey, the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS).
“Preliminary results disclosed during the launch of the NAIIS factsheet, which peg the national prevalence at 1.4%, already show a great shift in the pattern of the epidemic across the country,” he said.
The Agency boss noted that the agency had resolved to strengthen engagements with the private sector in order to improve enhance local ownership and sustainability in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The National Coordinator of Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), Abdulkadir Ibrahim, while speaking however called on government at all levels to increase funding and budgetary allocation in the fight against HIV.
”While we appreciate the efforts of the international donor agencies and partners , we appeal to the federal and state governments to take the lead in financing HIV response and also ensure PLHIV have access to adequate care and support services,” he said.
Penpushing also reports that the report of the NAIIS indicated the prevalence rate of HIV in the country has reduced from 3.1 million to 1.9 million of PLHIV.
