The Akwa Ibom State Association of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria has called on Governor Udom Emmanuel to give assent to the Anti-Stigmatisation and Discrimination Bill recently passed into law by the State House of Assembly.
The State Coordinator of the group, Mrs Rachael Raphael made the call while giving her goodwill message at the event marking this year’s World AIDS Day in Uyo, the state capital on Wednesday.
She said that the call became necessary to give them a sense of belonging, stressing that the people living with HIV/ AIDS in the state have been discriminated against at both social and public life in the state, including employment into the state civil service.
Mrs Raphael stated that if the Bill is signed into law by the Governor it would not only give the association members and others living with the virus a pride of place in their various communities and career but would also assist the State to achieve the vision of ending HIV/AIDS in 2030.
“I want to humbly appeal to the state governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel to please sign into law the HIV/AIDS Ant-Stigmatisation and Discrimination Bill recently passed into law by State House of Assembly, but now waiting for his assent.
“I am appealing for more funding from the state government and partners to AKSACA to enable the Agency to carry out its programmes on ending the HIV AIDS pandemic in the state,” the ASWHAN State’s Coordinator stated.
In her reaction also, the State Coordinator of the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Mrs Elizabeth Udo expressed appreciation to donor agencies for being of tremendous help to those living with HIV AIDS in the state
She said, “It is high time, the state government rose to the responsibility of putting more funds in AKSACA to enable it to meet the daunting challenges of HIV AIDS response and control because after donor agencies, what next?”
The Project Manager of AKSACA, Dr Author Igbemi commended the state government and donor agencies for being passionate about the wellbeing of People Living with HIV/AIDS in the state and called for hands to be on deck to end the pandemic for a safer society.
Igbemi advised against all forms of discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS, and pleaded for a positive mindset and love towards them, stressing that “until this is done, HIV/AIDS will still be with us.”
Soeaking earlier during a press conference in Uyo to mark the World AIDS Day in the state, representative of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Dr Idayat Uthman stressed the need to have the right policy environment, correct strategy framework and right system including health, community and other support systems in Nigeria if the nation must get it right.
No comments:
Post a Comment