HIV/AIDS Fight: Collaboration, Awards, RSG’s Strategy

Reinforcement, a concept even in Education Psychology posits that an individual be rewarded (reinforced) of a good deed for more of such deeds. It is also said that ‘whatever worth doing is worth doing well’.
The 2017 World AIDS Day commemoration was a true test of these positions as the Rivers State Government in collaboration with development partners in the health sector harnessed its abilities of resources, time and personnel in making the day/event not only memorable but positively challenging stakeholders in the state HIV/AIDS control programme to do more to raise the state beyond the present prevalence status of the disease.
Since the discovery of the disease in 1989, about 28 years ago, and its attendant rapid contraction, spread and fatal nature, there had been struggles and quest globally and locally to end the scourge or even reducing its prevalence to the barest minimum and all hands had been on deck at the international, federal and state levels. Since then, too, there has been world commemorations of the epidemic as in every other epidemic, and marked with activities usually of awareness, sensitisations, call on individual screening and stakeholders in finding ways of living and reducing the risk of contraction and spread even ending the menace. And Rivers State has not been left out in this scheme.
But the 2017 celebration was distinct and marked with a difference. The multipurpose hall of the State Ministry of Justice Complex was agog as individuals, groups, agencies and international organisations bagged different special awards that proved dignified efforts in the state’s HIV/AIDS fight. The event was one that revealed the commitment, loyalty and sacrifice of awardees which catapulted the state to its present reduced zero-prevalence rate, a percentage lower than the national rate. It was yet another programme that proved that collaboration is indeed a key factor in achieving a pursuit of any kind inclusive of the HIV/AIDS menace whether globally or locally.
It was at the event that the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike bagged the Good Governance/Health leadership Award while the Deputy Governor, Dr (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry-Banigo bagged the HIV/AIDS Control Award particularly of the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) alongside the Rivers State Agency for the Control of AIDS (RIVSACA). There were other categories of awards including the ‘Award of Team Spirit’, Pioneer HIV/AIDS Service Award’, Health Development Award bagged by the FH1360 and Global Funds, strong partners of the Rivers State Government in the achievement of health initiative and reforms. There was also the voice of HIV/AIDS Prevention Award bagged by Cool Wazobia FM, Nigeria Info, Silver Bird Rhythm 93.7 and The Tide.
The Award of Support of People Living with AIDS was bagged by the women wing of First Baptist Church, Ada George branch among others . Indeed, it was a ‘well organised’ programme but beyond that was the fact that it boosted the morale and efforts of the dedicated partners to continue in their giant strides as well as a call on others to join in the train to achieving a free HIV/AIDS state.
At the event, the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike ably represented by his deputy, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo said “this day is set aside for advocacy, awards and consolidation of the on-going efforts of all stakeholders in the HIV/AIDS control programme. I congratulate all awardees especially the former director of RIVSACA. I know how much work he did in consolidating the efforts of the state government in this fight including the Ministry of Health under the leadership of Princewill Chike and his team for carrying out every activity to ensure that we deal with the menace of HIV/AIDS in Rivers State”.
It is worthy of note that the state government has in the last three years built hospitals and health centres that are providing HIV/AIDS Anti-viral and supportive treatment as well as psychological support that patients no longer view HIV/AIDS diagnosis as a death sentence but that which could be managed thereby leading them to achieve great life and productivity.
This administration has not only insisted on the provision of PMTCT services by every single health facility in the state to end maternal transmission, but also made substantial progress in its community- based testing platform which has added significant value to its case-finding efforts and expanded access to HIV/AIDS services across the state.
Banigo said “we have not had any stock out for our Anti-Retrovirals in Rivers State. This is made possible by the efforts of the AIDS Control programme and our development partners in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“The government of Rivers State ably led by Governor Wike is so committed and passionate about health care in all ts facets of case-finding, prevention, treatment including people living with AIDS (PLA). He wants to see that they are encouraged to live to the fulfillment of their lives”.
The state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Princewill Chike lauded the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for its provision of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine as installed by the state government at the Braithwaite Specialist Memorial Hospital (BMSH).
Chike said the two PCR machines which are used in the monitoring of mother-to-child transmission, testing of samples of viral infections and detection of viral loads have made the state independent of its HIV/AIDS case-finding and treatment.
“As far as HIV/AIDS control is concerned, Rivers State has gone another level higher by the acquisition of the PCR machine. We no longer go out of the state for sample verification but everything is done here and this is kudos to our partners and state government”.
Chike maintained that with the progress recorded so far in the state’s HIV/AIDS fight, the state was poised to achieve the control target of 90:90:90: by the year 2020 saying “this means that 90 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS are diagnosed, 90 percent of those diagnosed receive treatment and 90 percent of those with Anti-retroviral therapy receive viral suppression at least by the year 2020. That is our focus”.
He also revealed that the zero prevalence rate of the disease in the state has reduced to 5.8 percent, describing it as small but significant compared to the 6.0 percent of the 2014 national survey. This is made possible through the 119 established centres involved in the management of the epidemic with about 91 treatment centres across the state.
Also apt was the theme of the year’s commemoration-‘My Health, My Right’ which resonates around the right to health services, access to social services and importance of individual behavioural knowledge and practice in order to keep healthy. Simply put, the right to health was the right to all including people living with AIDS (PLA) and of course, Rivers State has achieved this.
Yet, the fight continues. There is the need for more deliberate efforts in organising awareness, sensitisation and education programmes to encourage people to embrace screening. Stakeholders are also called upon not to relent in their efforts. “I want to say that our stakeholders should continue to support us in this state. Don’t look at us as an Orphan state. We still need you as we on our part will also continue to do our best in this beat”, Banigo said.
As a way of continuity and achievement of the desired goal, there is the need for the promotion of a state and or society that is totally devoid of stigmatisation and discrimination against those living with the virus.
More so, to consolidate the HIV/AIDS fight in the state, it is imperative that there be a maximum utilisation of health services as well as ordering the social determinants that impede individuals and communities in their quest for health services even in the face of HIV/AIDS epidemic in the state.

Lady Godknows Ogbulu