By Ahamd Umar
Gombe (Nigeria) — Civil Society for HIV & AIDS (CiSHAN) Gombe State chapter northeast of the country has said that about 64,000 People are living with HIV/AIDS in the State and half of them are not accessing treatment.
The State Coordinator of the Group, Ahmed Yusuf, disclosed this at a press Briefing to mark World HIV/AIDS Day on Thursday in Gombe.
He said that Currently, 90 percent of HIV funding is from international Donor Support, Private Sector 0.3 percent, local government 2 percent, while the state government contributes less than 8 percent.
“Of the 124 million naira allocated to HIV in the State 2017 budget only two million naira was released, and also Donor loss confidence in Gombe State due to the gross lack of commitment, of government and political will and care for citizens’ health, evident in the current piled up outstanding un-paid counterpart from the State Government; coupled with the fact that most Donors are winding up their projects and support.
“There is a protracted inadequate Counseling and Testing commodities in spite the growing demand for HCT and there is an alarming prevalence rate of Stigmatization, 37% of people with negative attitude towards People Living with HIV. Although Anti-Stigma bill has been passed into Law, however, the operationality of the law and citizens awareness are very low at the moment, over 50% of People Living with HIV do not access treatment,” the Coordinator said.
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Yusuf called on youth to continue to shun risky behaviors, and educate their peers using every medium possible, and stand to demand for their “Rights to Health…and make it happen”
“Citizens, especially people Living with HIV should familiarize and engage with the Anti-Stigma Law and assert their “Rights to Health and make it happen for their equal access and treatment in dignity, Ministries, Departments and Agencies especially justice related, Legal Practitioners, must ensure the optimal implementation and operation of the Anti-Stigma Law to ensure citizens’ “Right to Health and make it happen and state government should declare a state of emergency on HIV & AIDS by clearing all outstanding counterpart Funds within this 2017 budget.”,
