The Ogun state Government in collaboration with Institute of Human
Virology, Nigeria(IHVN), Catholic Cariyas Foundation of
Nigeria/Christian Health Association of Nigeria (CCFN/CHAN) and
Achieving Health Nigeria Initiative( AHNi) has joined forces to ensure
total eradication of HIV/AIDS by 2020 and zero transmission by 2030 in
the State through new strategy called 90,90,90 initiative.
Dr. Young Oluokun, the IHVN, member, which is the leading
partnership in the State, disclosed this to journalists recently, at
a the two-day workshop by the Ogun State HIV programme, State
Implementation Team(SIT) stakeholders’ meeting, held at G.R.A Ibara
Housing Estate in Abeokuta.
Dr. Oluokun said that at the World Conference on HIV/AIDS, it was
agreed that by year 2020, 90 per cent of people are to be tested, 90 per
cent of people tested positive should be placed on Anti-Ritroviral
Drugs (ARD) and 90 per cent of people who are on ARD should achieved the
stage of viral suppression called the U-NEED 90,90,90, adding that
currently patients are usually placed on ARD that makes them live as
long as 10 to 20 years.
‘’ New things that are coming up now that the rest of the wold is
talking about is the 90,90,90 initiative agreed upon by the Wold
Conference on HIV/AIDS, is that 90 per cent of people should be tested,
90 per cent tested positive be place on Anti-Ritroviral Drugs and 90 per
cent place on ARD should achieve the stage of suppression called the
U-NEED 90,90,90 and also to attain zero transmission by year 2030, which
Nigeria has already key into,’’ Dr. Oluokun said.
While urging the State House of Assembly members to look into passing
the stigmatization bill, Dr. Oluokun said another major challenges
encountered was the low rate of staff strength across the health
facilities in the State, saying that this was a threat that can
drastically reduced the output of their mission in Ogun State.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr
Daisi Odeniyi, said the free HIV/AIDS counseling and testing activities
conducted in some Local Government Areas of the State shows that Ifo has
the highest number of positive patients, saying that with the help of
the developmental partners collaborating with the State on issues
concerning HIV/AIDS, we believe that the virus would be reduced to the
bearest minmum.
The Permanent Secretary who was represented by the Director, State
AIDS/STI Control Programme, Dr. Toyin Adeyemi, said the State has been
more proactive with regards to eradicating HIV/AIDS among other diseases
with the introduction of ARAYA Health Scheme, calling on well-meaning
Nigerian and other developmental partners to join hands with the State
Government in the campaign against the virus.
He said the present administration led by Senator Ibikunle Amosun is
very much concerned with regards to health issues in the State, adding
that the State is ready to partner with both foreign and local NGOs that
would take the State to the next level on health related issues.
This story was published in Newswatch Times on October 22, 2015.
