ABSACA Warns against Complacency, Says HIV/AIDS Not Yet Eradicated
Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
The Abia State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS(ABSACA) has warned people against having the illusion that the disease has been eradicated, saying that people should maintain their guard and avoid behaviours that promote its spread.
Director General of the agency, Dr. Uloaku Emma Ukaegbu, gave the warning yesterday at a press conference in Abia State Specialist Hospital Amachara, ahead of this year’s World AIDS Day.
“HIV/AIDS is still with us. It is still a global health problem, though people think it’s no longer with us,” she said, adding that the disease has not been eradicated.
Dr. Ukaegbu attributed people’s complacency to the HIV/AIDS due to the drastic reduction in death tolls associated with AIDS following increased access to treatment, intensified awareness campaigns, among other preventive measures.
According to her, HIV/AIDS was regarded as death sentence in the past but the situation has changed as those diagnosed with the disease now have the opportunity to live their lives to the fullest.
She stated that 47,688 persons living with HIV/AIDS were presently receiving treatments across 38 plus one facilities in the state.
Quoting the 2018 household national survey, the ABSACA boss said that Abia has HIV/AIDS prevalence rate of 2.1 as against national average of 4.1 percent, adding that the figure could have reduced by now.
On the 2024 World AIDS Day with the theme: ‘Take the right path, sustain HIV response and stop HIV among children to stop AIDS in 2030’, Ukaegbu said that ABSACA would mark the day with several response activities.
These include going to markets and schools to provide HIV testing services, as well as going to churches to tell people that “HIV is still with us” hence everybody must remain vigilant and ensure that HIV is kept at bay.
She stated that with the onset of donor fatigue among development partners, the move to domesticate funding of HIV response programmes and activities have started.
“Nigeria is now on the path of sustainability in HIV/AIDS response (as) there is now a clarion call for countries to own their HIV response,” she said.
As part of its efforts to sustain awareness that HIV is still lurking around, Emma- Ukaegbu, who became ABSACA DG in July 2023, said that the agency has trained several groups to help in spreading the messages for behavioural change.
The groups trained to bear the messages include teachers, traditional rulers, journalists, religious leaders, market leaders, and ward development committees, who are trained to go back to their commumities and help in halting the spread of HIV.
“We maintain the same level of response in both urban and rural areas,” the ABSACA DG said, adding that the highest prevalence rate were recorded in Ukwa West, Ikwuano and Obingwa Local Governments.
