Abia State Commissioner for Health, Dr Joe Osuji, says the state within the past 14 months has achieved 82.8 percent HIV Treatment Current (TX CURR) and 98 percent suppression rates through its collaboration with the Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria (CCFNG).
Osuji revealed this during a stakeholders’ forum that featured the formal kick off of the Accelerated Control of HIV Epidemic and Sustainability Solution (ACCESS) project at Umuahia, the state capital
He said following the excellent performance of CCFNG, the state had done excellently well within 14 months and achieved Treatment Current (TX CURR) of 48,288 (82.8 percent Treatment Saturation) with 71 percenter Viral Load Coverage and 98 percenter Suppression rate.
He, however, said “CCFNG was opportuned to operate in an existing structured HIV/AIDS platform set by the state government through the Ministry of Health and implemented a massive community incentives drive that carries the programe to the rural and hard to-reach areas of the state.
He also disclosed that before 2021, many implementing partners including the FHI and Federal Government through the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) had supported the state.
The Commissioner, who canvassed for more collaboration with CCFNG in line with the tripartite agreement, stated that among others, the State Health Ministry in June 2021 trained 40 doctors, 40 pharmacists, 40 laboratory scientists and 60 nurses and midwives on Differential Service Delivery with focus on Community ART and Community Pharmacy Model to ensure ease of accessing treatment.
According to the commissioner, the state also in 2022 inaugurated 30 member team for Integrated Specimen Referral Network who visited 14 facilities/hubs, created a budget in the State Budget, formed partnership with 133 private laboratory owners.
The Executive Director of CCFNG Rev. Father Uche Obodoechina who challenged Nigerian leaders to work for the welfare of the people, assured that through the ACCESS Project, Nigeria would be provided a sustained strategic implementation of the organization’s goals with support from the government of America.
ACCESS Project Director, Dr Amana Effiong, who said the five year ACCESS Project that began in October, 2022, to accelerate the war against HIV, explained that emphasis would be increased on provision of anti retroviral drugs, more free testing, HIV medical outreaches in hinterlands, training of more health workers, provision of test kits, increased enlightenment campaigns etc.
It was gathered that HIV prevalence rate in the state dropped to 1.7 percent from its previous 2.1 percent.