HIV/AIDS: Women Solicit Stakeholders’ Support

Women in Rivers State, under the auspices of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (ASWHAN), have called for loan interventions from relevant stakeholder, to access grants for farm loans as a way to improve their livelihood economically.
President of ASWHAN in the State, Mrs Peace Sokari, who made the call in an interview  with newsmen shortly after a review meeting for the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS(PMTCT) focal persons in Port-Harcourt, said the current economic recession, which emanated from the coronavirus pandemic, has adversely affected them, leaving them with nothing to take care of their families.
While narrating their ordeal as Women Living with HIV/AIDS, Sokari identified stigmatisation and rejection as the major challenge they face for declaring their status open and appealed to people to give them the needed  encouragement to still  live life to fullness, inspite of their predicament.
“This stigma “has played  a major role in hindering PMTCT intervention and has contributed to the low turn out of antenatal registrations in government facilities as most of her people will  prefer to register with TraditionalBirth Attendants(TBAs) because they believe their identities will not be disclosed”.
She emphasized on such incentives as the need for information-sharing for them to be properly informed and take advantage of waivers in government  facilities, like free cesarean section, mama packs and free deliveries, expressing optimism  that by so doing, her people will be attracted to use the facilities.
Non availability of their drugs and the side effects of the anti-retroviral therapy, she stated further, is another challenge.
She however used the opportunity to appeal to health service providers not to be deterred, and continue with the follow-ups and counseling for proper monitoring  of their patients, so as to reduce HIV/AIDS infants deaths.

By: Sogbeba Dokubo