Stakeholders in Cross River State have called for more supply of HIV test kits to boost the fight against the disease as they are lacking in public health facilities across the state.
They made the call in Calabar at the weekend at the state Management Team Meeting organised by State Agency for the Control of AIDS and supported by Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme.
During the meeting, the Director of Public Health, Cross River State Ministry of Health, Dr Jonah Bassey Offor, represented by the ministry’s permanent secretary, Iwara Iwara, said lack of HIV test kits was one the challenges being faced by fight against HIV/AIDS.
According to him, “The test kits being used in the state are being provided by implementing partners with assistance from the Cross River State government overtime. Now there has been a lack of these test kits.
“Cross River State Ministry of Health will meet with implementing partners to see how test kits will be made available as soon as possible.
“The partners told us the prevalence rate of HIV in Cross River State is 2 percent, which is quite encouraging, which means the partners are doing a lot towards the reduction of HIV in the state.”
He added, “The partners are working in collaboration with Cross River State Ministry of Health and for us to have a prevalence rate of 2 percent even though we are being surrounded by states that have very high prevalence rate tells you that we are doing a lot in the control of HIV/AIDS in the state.”
On the influx of visitors during the forthcoming carnival and the impact that would have on possible spread of the disease, he said, “Cross River State government and the Ministry of Health are well equipped to control whatever population that will be coming into the state as regards the spread of HIV in the sense that they have well trained health workers. They have been equipped for this task across the state. Hopefully, before the carnival commences in December, the issue of lack test kits will be taken care of.”
SACA Community Mobilisation Officer, Ifere Obeten, said, “There is need for the private sector to be involved in the response and a committee has been formed to ensure they address that gap. We are working to achieve zero percent in the prevalence rate in Cross River State.
“We will ensure that test kits are available during the carnival. There will be activities for people to know their HIV status. Condoms will also be available and other measures will be implemented to ensure that they don’t engage in unprotected sex.
At the Christmas Village efforts will be made to setup testing points there. Even along the roads there will be mobile testing units that will be conducting services. We now do test and treat those found to be positive.”
Chairman, Cross River Technical Working Group, Dr MacFarlane Eja, called for a declaration of a state of emergency over the lack of HIV test kits, adding that it was a public health emergency.
Mr Umanah Joe of ECEWS said progress had been made in putting facilities in place to accelerate the control and prevention of HIV in the state.
United Nations agencies and other partners highlighted their achievements such as viral load suppression, number of tests carried out, challenges and their goals.
