Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Mrs. Fayose (left) cutting the tape to commission the Ministry of Health Pavilion in Ado-Ekiti. With her are the wife of the D.Gov., Mrs. Olusola (2nd right) and the PS, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olomojobi.
The wife of Ekiti State Governor and Chairperson of the Ekiti State Action Committee on Aids (EKSACA), Mrs. Feyisetan Fayose has called on stakeholders in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDs to re-double efforts at closing the gap between people who have access to HIV/AIDs care and support services and people who don’t to enhance total eradication of the disease from the society.
Speaking in Ado-Ekiti during the commemoration programme of year 2014 World Aids Day, Mrs. Fayose stressed the need to re-direct energy and resources at expanding access to qualitative services, particularly at the grassroots where HIV/AIDs is now most prevalent.
The Governor’s wife affirmed that the state has developed an anti-stigma bill to curb the stigmatization of people infected with HIV, urging people to feel free to go for the free counseling and testing, which is confidential, in accredited facilities to know their status.
She reiterated the readiness of the present administration to work with potential partners for the development and implementation of stigma reduction initiative programmes and the legal framework that will support people living with HIV/AIDs (PLWAs) in their places of work.
The first lady enumerated some barriers to universal access in the state to include stigmatization, poor access to resources by support groups, relatively high cost of treatment in the face of grinding poverty leading to low level of treatments and false claim of infection and cure of HIV/AIDS among others.
She commended the management and staff of EKSACA with all stakeholders in their efforts toward making the state HIV/AIDs free.
Earlier in his remarks, the Project Manager, Ekiti State Action Committee on Aids, Dr. Charles Doherty said it is discriminatory for any individual or organization, especially religious bodies to mandate people to go for screening.
He urged people of the state not to be scared of going for counseling/screening as drugs have been proffered for effective management and treatment of the disease, adding that results of screening are always made confidential.
The theme for the 2014 World Aids Day is “Closing the gap in HIV prevention and treatment” and sub-theme “stigma ends with me”.
Ekiti State Government Press Release
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