Akwa Ibom Assembly Allocates Funds to Address HIV/AIDS Crisis
The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has made budgetary provisions to support HIV/AIDS intervention programs following the US government’s withdrawal of funding. Moses Essien, Chairman of the House Committee on Health, made the announcement during a stakeholders’ meeting in Uyo, organized with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA).
Essien expressed concern over Akwa Ibom’s high HIV prevalence and called for targeted interventions by the Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of AIDS (AKSACA) and other stakeholders. He also highlighted the importance of a sustained strategic plan to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Additionally, Essien provided an update on the anti-stigma bill, which has passed the Assembly and is awaiting Governor Umo Eno’s assent. The bill will prohibit discrimination against people living with HIV in public spaces.
