HIV/AIDS: ‘Wike’s Waiver Intended To Control Prevalence’

Following concerns over HIV/AIDS prevalence in Rivers State, indicators are  rife that the new user fee waiver instituted by the state government will enhance the control of HIV prevalence if there is effective monitoring mechanism in the state.
Stating this in an exclusive interview recently, the  National Secretary of Network of People Living with HIV/AIDs in Nigeria(NEPWHN), Mr Clifford Emmanuel, said the waiver is the best thing that has happened to HIV prevalence in the state.
The national secretary explained that the implication of the waiver is that all fees that were paid by people who tested positive to HIV in other to secure treatment, are now being paid by the State Government.
Emphasizing on the effectiveness of the execution on the governor directives, the national secretary said this is where there could be a snag to “the governor’s good intention”
According to him, ensuring effective execution of the governor’s directive in government – owned facilities will be difficult without a functional monitoring and evaluation mechanism being put in place.”
”It will even be more difficult, to check the execution of the governor’s directive in the private health sector because some key stakeholders are likely to see it as an opportunity to extort both the government and those who require the services.
”One way to ensure that the governor’s real intention of instituting the user free waiver is achieved is for there to be an effective monitoring and evaluation mechanism, on the one hand, and the defaulters are made to face punishment.