Hiv/aids Scourge Worsens In Ekiti State.

HIV/AIDS scourge worsens in Ekiti

VICTOR OGUNJE, Ado Ekiti



DEPUTY Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Sikiru Lawal has expressed worry over the high incidence of HIV/AIDS, just as he disclosed that over 30,000 persons are currently living with the virus in the state.

 
Dr Lawal who stated this while appraising the State Action Committee on AIDS (SACA) activities also raised alarm over the increasing role of commercial sex centres in the state.

He consequently charged members of the committee to redouble efforts towards reaching out to people living with the disease to enable the state give them adequate medical treatment.

The deputy governor who promised to restructure the SACA office assured that adequate staff and equipment would be provided for the department by the state.

On commercial six centres, Dr Lawal noted that in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital alone, such outfits were put at 27, saying the development is not good for healthy living.

He also urged the people living with HIV/AIDS to endeavour to register with the SACA office, imploring them to be faithful to their partners, just as he tasked the citizenry not to stigmatise them.

The SACA project manager Mr. Adebayo Adenigba in his remarks decried the reluctance of the people living with the virus to register with the government; saying only 87 people are currently receiving treatment with the agency.

Efforts, he added, were on to collaborate with seven non-governmental organisations to embark on intensive advocacy for the reduction of the virus in the state.

Mr. Adenigba thanked the World Bank for its contribution to the project, adding that about N27.5 million has been used to mobilize the NGO’s in the state