A group, Association of Women Living with HIV in Nigeria (ASWHAN) has urged Akwa Ibom State governor, Udom Emmanuel to sign into Law, the HIV/AIDS Anti-Stigmatization and Discrimination Bill before him.
ASWHAN State Coordinator, Rachael Ignatius said the call became necessary due to prevalence of new infection in the state and for a healthy future.
She disclosed this during a four-day training workshop on the Domestication of the National HIV Self Testing (HIVST) and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) communication strategy organised by Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of AIDS (AKSACA) in collaboration with the HIV Media Advocacy Platform which ended in Uyo on Friday.
The state Coordinator noted that the HIV/AIDS Anti-Stigmatization and Discrimination Bill was passed by the State House of Assembly last year but has not been assented to by Governor Emmanuel adding that such has brought negative impact on HIV/AIDS response in the state.
She noted that the bill if signed into law and implemented, will address the spread of HIV/AIDS in the state and ensure a healthy future.
Also, Nnamnso-owo Thomas, who represented National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), South South Zonal Coordinator, said that Akwa Ibom according to 2018 NAIIS reports, remained “top on HIV/AIDS prevalence in the country with 5.5 percent representing 178,051 of 5,451,600 population.
“MoT study 2020 revealed that Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Benue, Anambra, Imo and Lagos states accounted more of Nigeria’s new HIV infection.”
The Project Manager, Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of AIDS (AKSACA), Dr Igbemi Igbemi while declaring the workshop open also expressed optimism that the Anti-Stigmatisation and Discrimination Bill if assented to would go a long way to reduce stigmatisation and its associated challenges in the HIV space.
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He, however said that the HIV Self Testing (HIVST) and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) are innovations tailored at achieving more prevention in the fight against the epidemic.
Earlier, the chairperson of Akwa Ibom HIV Media Advocacy Platform, Imaobong Dem blamed HIV situation on behavioural causes that called for aggressive awareness from the media.
She lauded AKSACA and other implementing partners for facilitating the workshop, stressing that the knowledge gained would assist journalists in sensitising the public on the prevention against HIV towards ensuring zero infection in 2023.
