Wike commends US govt for partnering Rivers govt to fight HIV/AIDS

Rivers State governor, Mr Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (r) and the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Stuart Symington  at  the Government House Port Harcourt on Tuesday during a high profile meeting on the promotion of the health of Rivers people.

(Nigeria) Rivers State governor, Mr Nyesom  Wike has commended the United States Government for working with the State Government to reduce the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the state.

Also, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Stuart Symington said that the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, PEPFAR, administered by the U.S. Center for Disease Control, CDC, U.S. Department of Defense, and U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID,  is implementing an Anti-Retroviral Treatment, ART, surge program in Rivers state to identify and provide treatment to approximately 180,000 PLHIV who have not previously received such.

The two leaders spoke at  the Government House Port Harcourt on Tuesday during a high profile meeting on the promotion of the health of Rivers people.

Wike said: "I want to thank the Government of the United States for working  with  the Rivers State Government to reduce the prevalence of HIV/AIDS.

"I thank the United States Government for recognising the contributions of the Rivers State Government in the fight against  HIV/AIDS."

Wike assured the United States Government that his administration will continue to fund programmes that will reduce the prevalence of the healthcare challenge.

"We will  continue  to work for the reduction of HIV/AIDS in the state. We are glad  that we are partners with the US Government.  For us, health is key. Education  is key. With Education, you can talk to people on measures to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.

"At present, with  the support of the United states Government, we are  running  115 sites to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS," he said.

He said that the health programmes  of the Rivers State Government is yielding results as the immunisation statistics of the state has moved from 54 percent  to 82 percent.

Speaking further, Wike thanked the United States Government for insisting that votes count in Rivers  State during the last General Elections.

He said that the United States Government ensured that democracy survived in the country, despite  the fact that it came under threat.

It will recalled  that Wike recently announced that the Rivers State Government will pay the user-fees for People Living with HIV in the state to access free treatment.

In his remarks, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Stuart Symington said the U.S. government’s $75 million budget increase for HIV control activities in Nigeria, with about $25 million allocated for the ART surge activities.

Ambassador Symington thanked Governor Wike for announcing his intent to eliminate user-fees for PLHIV.  The U.S. delegation was in Rivers state to advocate for elimination of user-fees for all people living with HIV, antenatal care charges for pregnant women living with the virus, and other barriers hindering PLHIV from accessing health services.  The Ambassador emphasized Governor Wike’s pronouncement serves as an example to other states and the federal government to eliminate such user fees.  On August 19, Ambassador Symington paid a similar visit to Akwa Ibom State  governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel.

“The United States remains committed to supporting Nigeria as it works to reduce and ultimately eliminate the scourge of HIV/AIDS among its people,” Ambassador Symington said.

 He noted the increased funding to make anti-retrovirals available would enable more people living with HIV to lead healthy, productive lives until the day a cure for the virus is found.

The Ambassador noted that disbursement of the additional PEPFAR HIV funds are contingent upon Nigerian federal and state governments reducing or eliminating financial barriers to PLHIV access to services, in particular fees charged by healthcare facilities for non-essential services or those already provided by PEPFAR.