Health experts have said the spread of HIV/AIDS can be drastically slowed down. How? By providing more funds for programmes designed to ensure and sustain the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT).
The health experts hosted the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and the Subsidy Re-Investment Programme (SURE-P) media team at their hospitals in Taraba State.
The NACA/SURE-P team, after visiting 62 health facilities in the 16 local government areas of the state, were optimistic that HIV/AIDS can be controlled but only if PMTCT is given due consideration by the affected persons and all the tiers of government.
The medical experts included the Chief Medical Director of the Jalingo Specialist Hospital, Dr. Rimande Joel; the Doctor in Charge of Government House Clinic, Danga Danga and the ART Focal person of the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Jalingo, Dr. Aisha Adamu. Others were Dr. Ibrahim A. Musa of the first referral hospital in Sunkani and Mohammed Bala of Ummah clinic among others.
The visiting team members included: the State Programme Manager NACA Liaison Office, Patrick Igbana, the State HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections Control Programme, Dr. Musa Obadia and the State Programme Implementation Unit-NACA/SURE-P, among others.
Both teams agreed that HIV/AIDS would soon be a thing of the past if the government can make available all the needed resources and manpower to confront the ailment. “Nigeria has the capacity to achieve the 2030 HIV goals if all hands are on the deck.”
They noted the significance of pregnant mothers in the society, and urged the government to motivate them to access health facilities especially PMTCT.
They lauded the intervention of NACA/SURE-P immediately after the withdrawal of donor partners, saying that the programe would witness progress if adequate budget is allocated to the HIV/AIDS.
The Coordinator of the Taraba state HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections Control Programme, Dr. Musa Obadiah said: “For the Nigeria government to sustain the HIV/AIDS programme especially now that foreign partners have withdrawn their services the people living with the ailment should begin to fashion out ways of supporting the government to sustain the programme, as this cannot be ignored.”
They agreed that the programme under government has brought HIV/AIDS services closer to the people compared to the period it was in partnership with foreign donors. “The government should leave no stone unturned in order to ensure sustainability,” they said.
They added: “Those who keep PMTCT rules don’t give birth to HIV infected children. Our community leaders should intervene by encouraging their people to always avail themselves for screening.”
There are 62 health facilities across Taraba state, of which 41 are PMTCT sites, while 21 are secondary health facilities.
The Northern Report gathered that 7,238 HIV patients have been enrolled at the state specialist hospital while the first referral hospital in Sunkani has 836 persons receiving treatment.
The State Agency for the Control of Aids (TACA) Director of Communication, Dr. Anthony Dorofi, promised that TACA would continue to work tirelessly in controlling the spread of the disease in the state.