By Chukwujekwu Ilozue/Onitsha

No fewer than 400,000 are suffering from HIV/AIDS in Anambra, laments wife of the state governor, Margaret Obi. She pointed out that the figure represents 8.7 per cent sexually active group in Anambra State, which has a population of five million.

Mrs. Obi who was represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Henrietta Agbata, was briefed at Ihiala, Ekwusigo Local Government Area by the state Director of Action Committee of AIDS (ANSACA), Dr. John Ndibe, at the weekend when she paid her yearly visit to the nine HIV/AIDS clusters in the state excluding those with the Primary Health Centres.

She lamented the prevalence rate in the state and appealed to them to live positively to avoid spreading the virus.

She gave each of the clusters N130,000 cash, eight bags of rice, eight bags of beans, cartons of beverage drinks, cartons of custard and crayfish among others.

She reminded them that HIV/AIDS is like every other disease and that if they follow the directives on medication and live healthy life they would live longer and happier. She charged them not to neglect acquiring a skill from the free skill acquisition centres in the state made available for them by the state government.

On behalf of Mrs. Obi, Agbata visited Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Hospital Ihiala, St. Andrews Anglican Church D C C Nnewi , General Hospital Ekwulobia , St Joseph the Worker Hospital Adazi-Nnukwu, General Hospital Awka and General Hospital Enugu-Ukwu.

Other hospitals she visited include St Charles Boromeo Hospital Onitsha , Rush Gran Hospital Onitsha, and General Hospital Onitsha.

Director of Child Development in the Ministry of Women Affairs , Mr. Emeka Ejide lamented that many of the HIV/AIDS victims went through hellish situation before Obi’s administration and there was no activity in ANSACA before it was resuscitated, he said. He assured that the state government would support them outlive stigmatization.At Ihiala, Rev Fr. Simon Adigbo of Hope Alive Support Group ; Gladys Ezembu of Hope Givers Awka ‘ Ibekwe Alexander of Health Link Organization Ekwulobia ; Innocent Nwafor of Network of people living with HIV/AIDS in Nnewi among other speakers of the people living with HIV/AIDS in Anambra State appealed for more attention to their members as many are graduates but could not get job because of societal stigmatization.

They appealed for dedication of two per cent of the state and local government budgets for response to people living with HIV/AIDS and to equally reconstitute the ANSACA Board in the state as well as to get more facilities and computers in the skill acquisition centres.

source http://www.dailyindependentnig.com/2013/03/obis-wife-decries-hivaids-prevalence-in-anambra/