By Glory Uya
The National Orientation Agency NOA, has reiterate its commitment to support progressive health initiatives such as the development of HIV State Strategic Plan 2025-2028 by the Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of AIDS(AKSACA) to reduce new infections and align with national and global initiatives.
The State Director of NOA, Mr. Mkpoutom Mkpoutom who stated this in Uyo during a Stakeholders meeting, noted that the development of a comprehensive HIV State Strategic Plan was coming at a very important time, just as it aligns with the National HIV Strategic Plan 2023-2027, and global instruments such as the Global AIDS Strategic and Political Declaration on HIV.
While noting that the document will serve as a guide for all stakeholders, He explained that the interventions were targeted at responses involving the dynamics of the epidemic to tackle the challenges occasioned by the recent freeze of the United States Government support and promised that the Agency will continue to show commitment in sustaining and strengthening collaboration to keep the HIV response alive through innovative ideas, data use, and stakeholders engagements.
Mr. Mkpoutom, who described the initiative as laudable, maintained that stigmatization of People Living with HIV was adversely affecting access to treatment and care, and gave an assurance that the Anti-Stigmatization and Discrimination Bill when assented to by Governor Eno would go a long way to protect them against abuses.
Mrs. Amaka Okon, Head of Department for Health and Social Care, explained that the document will guide the Government and partners in the prevention, treatment and care for People Living with HIV/AIDS as well as strengthen the HIV response to meet the 2030 Global Sustainable Development Goals of zero infection.
She called on implementing partners and other stakeholders to use the plan to scale up prevention activities in the State.
Further remarks at the meeting were made by the Commissioner for Education, Assoc. Prof. Ubong Umoh, who lauded AKSACA’s initiative and promised to support awareness creation on HIV in public schools via the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE)program.
On her part, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr Inibehe Etukudo acknowledged the great job AKSACA has been doing in the State over the years in the prevention of HIV/AIDS and emphasized the importance of grassroots sensitization in Local Government Areas, schools, churches, markets, etc, while also standing against stigmatisation of and discrimination against People Living with HIV. of PLHIV.
Other Stakeholders present at the meeting were the NOA’s Community Mobilisation Officers, COMOs, of the 31 LGAs, representatives of State AIDS and Sexuallly -Transmitted Infections Control Programme, and Networks of People Living with HIV,PLHIV, among others.
