The US Consul General, Will Stevens on Thursday urged Osun State Government, security agencies, community leaders, and other Stakeholders in the state to work together towards ensuring that the 13,000 people living with HIV are found.
Stevens said the absconded HIV patients when they are found should be embraced urging the stakeholders in the state not to ignore them, rather they should be made to know they still have hope and feel safe and get tested and get on treatment.
The Consul General gave the charge at the official launching of HIV treatment Surge in sponsored by Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme, (ECEWS) in conjunction with Osun State Ministry of Health.
He enjoined them to spread the information that HIV is not a death sentence, noting that anyone with HIV positive should encourage their s£xual partner to get tested for them to be on treatment as well.
He said there is need for Nigerians to work together so as to be able to fight against the virus.
According to him, “We need a community, we need partnership with the government, we need help with the police. We need civil society. We need implementing partners. We need Nigerians to work together. And it’s going to take that combined effort to reach our most vulnerable citizens.
“It’s going to take that type of effort to reach the nearly 13,000 people that we estimate that haven’t yet found their status and so to make this search work so grateful that to be here at the launch. I can’t wait to come back and say you reach 95 95 95 I’m actually pretty confident that it’s going to happen very quickly. And that all the hard work of incredible people I’ve met is the last 36 hours is going to make it happen.
“I’m so grateful for all the work that all of you do. And so grateful to see this and it’s really, truly inspiring to know that you’re out there on the streets every day, talking to people sharing the message and encouraging people if you shouldn’t be treated. We’ve arrested you for something that you’ve done, and you know you’re sick, maybe you should get treated,” he said
Speaking, the Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme, (ECEWS) Project Director of HIV treatment in Osun, Ekiti and Delta state, Dr Okezie Onyedinachi that all the 29,000 people living with HIV in Osun State we put would be on treatment before 2025.
Onyedinachi said that the programme was launched in due to survey that was was conducted in Nigeria in 2018 by National Indicated HIV/AIDS (NAIIs) survey established that Osun state had 29,000 people living with HIV.
He started that only 16,000 of them were able to put on treatment, stating that ECEWS resolved do something different to find those who are living with HIV to put them on treatment.
According to him, ”We have 29,000 as at last year we are able to put 16,000 on treatment and we have to reach out to 29,000 people before 2025.
“We know they are there and for us we have to do things differently that is entering into the communities and making sure of providing opportunities for people to know their HIV status across Osun State.
“Prior to come Osun State we are working within 12 local governments and however, we are taking it to the whole 30 local governments now and also we want to bring the state which the Excellency is Surge Champion to enable us to achieve this,” he added
However, Governor of Osun State Ademola Adeleke said that the present government has made significant strides in improving access to HIV testing and treatment services in the state.
Adeleke stressed that thousands of people in state have benefited from HIV test and treatment services at no cost, saying they have seen a leap in treatment coverage by 12% in the first 5 months of active surge implementation.
He said, “The ECEWS SPEED project, which is funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we have been able to scale up HIV testing and treatment services across the state, with a focus on equity, strengthening existing systems, building capacity, and promoting stakeholder involvement at all levels.
“The project focuses on providing free HIV preventive and treatment services to thousands of people, including children, pregnant women, and key populations.
“In addition, we have made progress in reducing new HIV infections, particularly among adolescent girls and young women, who are three times more likely to be infected with HIV than their male counterparts. We know that the driving factor is inequality, and so we are working to combine services for sexual and reproductive health with services for preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence and HIV, to design interventions that work for all women and girls, in all their diversity.
“Ensuring all pregnant women have access to HIV testing services and treatment as needed will keep us in focus for an HIV free generation. I implore all Osun indigenes and dwellers to ensure they know their status and adopt healthy lifestyles.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank our partners, including ECEWS, the CDC, and PEPFAR, for their continued support and collaboration in this effort. And I want to commend the health workers, community leaders, and other stakeholders who are working tirelessly to ensure that no person living with HIV in Osun state is left behind.
“I want to reaffirm our commitment to achieving an HIV-free society in Osun state. We have come a long way, but we know there is still much work to be done. Together, we can and will continue to make progress towards our goal of ending HIV/AIDS in our state and in Nigeria as a whole.
