Osun State launces HIV Treatment Surge

The Osun State Government, through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and with support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC), has launched its HIV Treatment Surge initiative, Friday, March 31, 2023, in Osogbo, the state capital.

Speaking at the launch event, U.S. CDC Country Director, Mary Boyd, emphasized that surge efforts in health facilities and with communities were not business as usual for the state’s HIV programme, but rather intensified and innovative approaches and partnerships to increase the number of people living with HIV on antiretroviral treatment.

She said, “a lot of hard work will be needed to reach the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goal (having 95percent of people living with HIV know their status, 95percent of those people on antiretrovirals (ART), and 95percent of those on ART reaching viral suppression), but with the support of the Government of Osun, communities, and partners, I have no doubt this surge will propel the state to ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat and thereby save many lives.”

Currently, Osun State has almost 30,000 people estimated to be living with HIV, 13,500 of which are yet to be identified and placed on treatment.

Through intensified and innovative strategies, the HIV Treatment Surge aims to quickly close this gap and achieve treatment saturation.

The surge also aims to prevent the transmission of HIV from mothers to their babies and enhance adolescent and key populations services, thereby ensuring an AIDS-free generation.

Speaking with the Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, before the event, U.S. Consul General, Will Stevens, highlighted the need for equitable access to HIV services across the state.

Stevens said, “We must ensure we reach the most vulnerable populations, like women, adolescents, and children, with testing and treatment. We must also ensure equitable access to care for key and hard-reach populations.”

The Osun State HIV Treatment Surge is one of many that have taken place in states since 2019.

The surges have identified and placed hundreds of thousands of people on life-saving treatment across the country, a remarkable accomplishment that is even more notable for its obtainment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of March 2023, 1.8million Nigerians are receiving HIV treatments via PEPFAR as the country moves closer to its goal of reaching HIV epidemic control.

Comments

Ogoni Day: Group Demands Saro-Wiwa, Eight Others' Exoneration, Compensation .Urges Probe Of Wike Over Alleged Diversion Of $300m OML 11 Payment

As the Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State marked the 31st Anniversary of the Ogoni Day, the Ogoni Liberation Initiative (OLI), has reiterated the call on the Federal Government to exonerate late environment-rights activist, Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogonis murdered during the late General Sani Abacha military junta in 1995. The group also called for compensation to Ogoni and families of the four Ogoni chiefs whose death led to the arrest and subsequent execution of Saro-Wiwa and eight others. OLI said it came up with the referendum after consultation with critical stakeholders within and outside Ogoni land and over 200 rights groups. Chief Executive Officer of Ogoni Liberation Initiative, Dr Douglas Fabeke, while reading an 8-point referendum to mark this year's Ogoni Day also demanded the immediate dissolution of the board of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), over alleged gross mismanagement of funds and incompetence. OLI said Ogoni peopl

Nigeria Lost N16.25trn To Oil Theft, NEITI Alleges

The Executive Secretary of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Ogbonnaya Orji, has revealed that Nigeria lost over N16.25trillion due to oil theft in the country. Orji, who made the revelation to the House Committee on Public Accounts, during an interactive session in Abuja, also claimed that $74.386billion was spent on fuel subsidy by successive administrations since 2011. According to him, the agency has compiled the actual amount paid as subsidy on yearly basis. Orji claimed that the compilation was based on data collated and signed off by operators in the industry and other stakeholders. According to him, NEITI also uncovered over $8.3billion unremitted revenue by some privately owned oil firms and Federal Government-owned Agencies which was not paid into the Federation Account, in deviant to provisions in the extant financial regulations. He, however, noted that the agency is working with various enforcement Institutions including Economic and Financial

Our Decisions Not Borne Out Of Fear, But For Peace Of Rivers, Fubara Insists .Says He Won't Involve In Dirty Political Fights

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that the decisions taken by his administration in the evolving political crisis in the state were not borne out of fear, but for peace to reign in the state. The governor made this known while addressing Rivers people at the maiden state banquet held by his administration at Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday to celebrate the New Year. The governor's position was revealed in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Governor of Rivers State, Boniface Onyedi, on Tuesday. Fubara, who wished Rivers people a fruitful and prosperous 2024, also appealed to Rivers people to embrace the ongoing peace process at the instance of President Bola Amhed Tinubu. He stated that his administration would not be enmeshed in any dirty political war that would hinder the prospects of development in the state. "Every decision that we've taken is not borne out of fear but because we have the interest of ou

Nelly's SmartBriefs

Search This Blog