Group Seeks More PMTCT Sites

The South-South Zonal Coordinator of Journalists Alliance for the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV in Nigeria (JAPiN), Mrs Sogbeba Dokubo has called for the establishment of more Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) sites in Rivers State.

Mrs Dokubo, who made the call on Thursday, shortly after the Rivers State Chapter of JAPiN paid an advocacy visit on the Deputy Speaker, Rviers State House of Assembly, Hon. Leyii Kwanee, said the establishment of more PMTCT sites in the State should be the first step towards attaining the target of eliminating Mother-To-Child Transmission (MTCT) of HIV by 2015.

According to her, currently, Rivers State has only 15 PMTCT sites, and over 10 of them are in the urban areas. “This makes it virtually impossible for people in the hard-to-reach areas to access the (PMTCT) facilities”, she said.

She noted that “There are only 10 pediatric HIV sites in the State, and that all are situated in the urban areas. This calls for more scale-up of both PMTCT and pediatric HIV sites, to draw them closer to the people. “This will enhance easy accessibility, and eventually reduce the rate of infant and maternal mortality in the State.

She noted that Nigeria currently has the highest burden of PMTCT globally.

The gap, she explained, means the number of people intended to be reached and the actual number reached so far to access PMTCT services.

Earlier the Rivers State Coordinator of JAPiN, Mr Soibi Max-Alalibo, had advocated for the promulgation of a law to establish youth friendly centers in the 23 Local Government Areas of the State, which will have the capacity to Give Health Counseling and Testing (HCT) services, offer contraceptive services, and HIV educational materials because there is currently none in the State.

He also called for the enactment of stringent laws against stigmatisation and discrimination in work places and hospitals.

In his response, Hon. Kwanee assured members of JAPiN that he will do everything possible to facilitate the passage of the bill against stigmatisation currently in the State House of Assembly, and also promised to partner with JAPiN in the implementation of PMTCT activities in Rivers State.