The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the State is still pegged at less than two percent. State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tamunoiyoriari Parker gave the figure when he received officials of the United State Agency for International Development, (USAID) in his office in Port Harcourt. Dr. Parker observed that the publication by the USAID that Rivers State has the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the country is wrong. According to the Commissioner they may have mixed up the figures in error “maybe somebody wants this figure in another State which you should be pushing not Rivers State, that is my point here, you cannot tell me to use these figures” the Commissioner said.
He called on the international agency to re-investigate their figure adding that Rivers State government has put in a lot of resources into the control of HIV in the State,” you must come and work with us, our community outreach is 1.2 per cent how can you compare 1.2 per cent with 15.2 per cent Dr. Parker emphasized.
Earlier, one of the country representatives of USAID, Adeleke Oluwaseun had said the aim of the visit was to seek collaboration with the State Government following the alleged high rate of HIV/AIDS in the State.
It would be recalled that the Rivers State Government had spent about N1billion to purchase palliative drugs to care for People living with HIV/AIDS in the State.
River State Government Press Release
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