Abia State Health Commissioner Dr Joe Osuji said that the state within the past 14 months has collaborated with the Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria (CCFNG) achieved 82.8% HIV Treatment Current (TX CURR) and 98% suppression rates.
He made this known during
a Stakeholders’ Forum that featured the formal kick off of the Accelerated Control of HIV Epidemic and Sustainability Solution (ACCESS) project at Umuahia, the state capital
He said that following the excellent performance of CCFNG, the state has done excellently well within 14 months and achieved Treatment Current (TX CURR) of 48,288 (82.8% Treatment Saturation) with 71% Viral Load Coverage and 98% Suppression rate.
He however said “CCFNG was opportuned to operate in an existing structured HIV/AIDS platform set by the state government through the Ministry of Health and implemented a massive community incentives drive that carry the programe to the rural and hard to-reach areas of the state.
He also said that before 2021, many implementing partners supported the state and listed two namely; FHI and Federal Government through the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) through funding from the Global Fund.
The Commissioner who canvassed for more collaboration with CCFNG in line with the tripartite agreement, added among others, that the state Health Ministry in June 2021 trained 40 Doctors, 40 Pharmacists, 40 Laboratory Scientists and 60 Nurses and Midwives on Differential Service delivery with focus on Community ART and Community Pharmacy Model to ensure ease of accessing treatment.
According to the Commissioner, the state also in 2022 inaugurated 30 member team for Integrated Specimen Referral Network who visited 14 Facilities/ Hubs, created a Budget in the State Budget, formed partnership with 133 Private Laboratory Owners.
The Executive Director of CCFNG Rev. Father Uche Obodoechina who challenged Nigerian leaders to work for the welfare of the people, assured that through the ACCESS Project, Nigeria would be provided a sustained strategic implementation of the organization’s goals with support from the government of America.
ACCESS Project Director Dr Amana Effiong who said that the five year ACCESS Project that began in October, 2022, to accelerate the war against HIV, said that emphasis would be increased on provision of anti retroviral drugs, more free testing, HIV medical outreaches in hinterlands, training of more health workers, provision of test kits, increased enlightenment campaigns etc.
It was gathered that HIV prevalence rate in the state dropped to 1.7 % from it’s previous 2.1%.
