Expert Identifies Impediments To HIV/AIDS Response

Amidst several challenges currently facing the South-South Zone of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) in HIV response, the Coordinator of the Zone, Dr Uduak Daniel, has identified two key challenges.
Speaking during a recent two-day strategic media engagement refresher and NACA South-South Zonal awards, Dr Daniel stated that the challenges were the institution of State Agency for the Control of AIDS (SACA) Boards in all States of the Zone, and provision of necessary fund to enhance implementation of programmes.
She explained that although these challenges have not stopped the zone from recording notable achievements, they have made progress more difficult.
While noting that much have been achieved, she said, “challenges still exist, one of which is the fact that we still need the SACAs to have boards.
“We also still need to ensure that resources are allocated to the SACAs so that they can play their coordinating roles the way that they are supposed to do. Despite the challenges and hiccups, we’ve been able to push through in the South-South HIV response”.
According to her, two key areas the zone recorded successes were in strengthening of structures in SACAs in the zone, and also enabling them to function without boards.
Another area that the zone recorded success, according to the zonal boss, was in strategic media engagement process, which was the essence of the meeting in Port Harcourt. Dr Daniel stated that strategic networks such as the media has helped the HIV response in the State and the South-South Zone.
She explained that during the two-day event, the media had been sensitised on how to frame their reports to go beyond mere reporting.
“The media practitioners in the states and in the zone have now been empowered with knowledge and skills to frame their messages beyond just reports. They now know how to better frame messages so that they can facilitate behavioural change among those they reach out to”, she said.
Speaking earlier, the Head of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Rivers State Agency for the Control of AIDS (RIVSACA), Dr. Isaiah Mac-Moses, said the State Government is committed to the prevention of HIV/AIDS in the State, noting the importance of data generation.
“Now the programme is evidence-based. So, there’s no programme without statistics. My office consistently provides evidence for programming. That’s why you see that in Rivers State all the Local Governments do not have the same prevalence”, he said.
On his part, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, noted that the Ministry has over the years partnered with both the Zonal NACA and RIVSACA towards eradicating HIV.
The Commissioner, who was represented at the occasion by the Director, Public Enlightenment, in the Ministry, Mr Celestine Ogolo, further assured on the Ministry’s readiness to partner with NACA and RIVSACA.
“Over the years we’ve been partnering with the Zonal and State offices of NACA. But if there’s any role to be worked on for improvement, all the parastatals of the Ministry are still open to you. We welcome more partnership, and all our platforms are still available to you for use so that this campaign and enlightenment against the HIV/AIDS pandemic will get to the grassroots even more”, he said.

By: Sogbeba Dokubo