HIV/AIDS patients to benefit from Delta empowerment programme

Delta Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, has said that persons living with HIV/ AIDS in the state would benefit from the government’s empowerment programmes.
Mr Aniagwu disclosed this on Monday when the Zonal Coordinator, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Uduak Daniel, led his team on a courtesy visit to Asaba.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the Executive Secretary, Delta State Agency for the Control of AIDS, John Osuyali, and Head, Prevention and Communication Unit, Delta State, Iheaka Ezieme, were part of the team.
Mr Aniagwu said the stigmatisation of people living with HIV/AIDS has remained because of the initial fears and lack of effective communication on the virus.
He, however, called on Nigerians to know their status.
Mr Aniagwu said a lot of sensitisation about the virus and the emergence of antiretroviral drugs had been provided, to enable people to live freely.
He commended the efforts of NACA and its partners for making Delta to lead the chart in ensuring that the virus is being tackled.
A healthy environment, he said, contributes to productivity in every sector in the state.
He also applauded the team’s dedication in the area of case tracing, identifying and reducing the ability of carriers to infect others, adding that people should stop seeing the virus as a death sentence.

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The commissioner promised to promote the sensitisation of the public on different media platforms for free as part of community service.

He said Delta has recorded a milestone in tackling the virus but called for more efforts in mopping up to get to a stage where people would stop being scared about the virus.
Earlier, Ms Daniel said the HIV/AIDS response was not strictly a health sector issue, but multi-sectoral, adding that the support given to other sectors should also be extended to the HIV/AIDS sector.
She said that new HIV self-testing kits had been launched and are readily available in health facilities in order to avoid stigmatisation amongst persons, and to also make sure that there was a more productive workforce.
She appealed to the commissioner and the state government to include the HIV carriers in different programmes organised by the state, so as to increase the confidence level of the people living with it.
(NAN)

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