By Oluwabukola Akanni
Ibadan – Mrs Florence Ajimobi, Wife of Oyo State Governor has called for the removal of user fees involved in the treatment of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in the country.
She made the call to the National Council on AIDS (NCA), saying it would ensure a sustainable fight against HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Mrs Ajimobi, who is also the Chairperson, Oyo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (OYSACA), made this call on Monday in Ibadan, during the opening ceremony of the fifth NCA meeting.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the meeting is entitled: “Beyond NAIIS: Planning, resourcing and taking action to achieve the 95:95:95 targets”.
She said that HIV treatment had reduced mortality and morbidity rates among PLHIV, thereby slowing down their potential to infect others.
According to her, the user fees has discouraged many PLHIV from seeking treatment and reduced access to treatment.
“The removal of the user fees is the only way we can make life easier for them and put an end to this epidemic.
“Without a free access to treatment, we can’t improve their quality of life and ensure they live meaningful and productive lives.
“It is my heartfelt desire, as I leave office, that NCA will look for a way to relieve PLHIV of the burden of paying any user fees or otherwise for their treatment.
“I hope that the NCA will make Ibadan proud as the place where a lasting solution was agreed on to end this lingering problem militating access to lifesaving treatment for PLHIV and their families,” she said.
She said that the state government appropriated over N200 million to OYSACA in the 2019 budget.
Mrs Ajimobi said the funding from the state government had greatly helped the agency to yield unprecedented achievements in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“As this administration is drawing to an end, I will be transitioning out of my position as the Chairperson of OYSACA with a deep sense of gratitude to God and satisfaction that I’m leaving the agency a lot better than I met it.
“I am also fulfilled that a lot of lives have been positively touched by my leadership of the agency,” she said.
In his remarks, the Director-General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Sani Aliyu, said that bringing down the cost of HIV treatment was a priority of the present administration.
According to him, efforts are underway to get WHO pre-qualification for the production of antiretroviral drugs by some pharmaceutical companies based in the country.
“Obviously, a lot has happened in relation to the HIV/AIDS response since the last council meeting.
“Key among them, which is also the central point of the current meeting, is the completion of the world’s largest population-based HIV/AIDS survey, the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS).
“Preliminary results disclosed during the launch of the NAIIS fact-sheet, which pegs the national prevalence at 1.4%, already shows a great shift in the pattern of the epidemic across the country,” he said.
Aliyu said that the agency had resolved to strengthen engagements with the private sector in order to enhance local ownership and sustainability in the fight against the epidemic.
Mr Abdulkadir Ibrahim, the National Coordinator of Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), called on governments at all levels to increase funding and budgetary allocation in the HIV fight.
“While we appreciate the efforts of the international donor agencies and partners, we appeal to the federal and state governments to take the lead in financing HIV response and also ensure PLHIV have access to adequate care and support services,” he said.
NAN reports that the report of the NAIIS indicated the prevalence rate of HIV in the country has reduced from 3.1 million in 2017 to 1.9 million in 2018.
NAN further reports that the survey was carried out between July and December 2018, while the report was released in March. (NAN)