Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has abolished
payments of user-fees for persons living with HIV/AIDS who want to access
treatment at state-owned health facilities.
Wike said the state government would take over the
payment of the user-fees to encourage
more people to seek treatment for
HIV/AIDS.
He stated this on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by
a delegation from the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
under the auspices of the Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria at the Government
House in Port Harcourt.
Wike said: "We will stop all fees collected as
user-fees for persons under the HIV/AIDS treatment programme. This is our
contribution to the partnership with the
United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
"We will take over the payment of the HIV/AIDS
user-fees for the public health facilities in the state.
"The state deputy governor will be in charge
of the programme since she is a medical doctor.
We are committed to working with the US Government to ensure we tackle
this disease.”
He said the state government would also support the
efforts of the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and
Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria
in the programme against
HIV/AIDS.
According to the governor, "The Rivers State
Government will take all necessary measures to assist the centre in this
current push across the state.
"All the necessary support will be extended to
the agency as they work in different locations of the state."
Head of the delegation of the United States Centre
for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Tedd Ellerbrock, said 210, 000 persons are currently infected with
HIV/AIDS in Rivers State with 40, 000 currently on anti-retroviral treatment.
He said the United States Centre for Disease Control
and Prevention is launching a new
programme where 110,000 infected persons would be placed on
anti-retroviral treatment to stem the spread of the disease and control the
epidemic.
He appealed to the state government to take over
the payment of user-fees for persons living with HIV/AIDS who want
anti-retroviral treatment.
"The United States Government is funding the
Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria in this effort. The US Government will
be deeply involved in all the 23 local government areas of the state.
"We will deeply appreciate it if you will help
us with the user-fees. We have found out
that if there are user-fees, people would be discouraged from coming forward to
seek treatment. We are providing the anti-retroviral drugs and the US
Government is paying for the programme," he said.
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