Ebonyi Fights HIV/AIDS, Disburses N34m to Agency

Ebonyi State government has paid N33.94 million to the State Action Committee on HIV/AIDS (EBOSACA) to help fight the scourge, rehabilitate HIV/AIDS patients in the state and provide or subsidize cost of available drugs that will be administered to the victims.

From Chinnedu Eze in Abakaliki

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Alo disclosed this to THISDAY at the weekend in Abakaliki and said that although the prevalent rate of the disease is high in the state but other states were not faring better, stating that the last sentinel survey carried out in 2001, Ebonyi State was beaten to the highest position in the southeast by Anambra State.

According to him, the results showed Abia to have 3.0 per cent; Ebonyi, 5.7 per cent; Imo, 5.4 per cent; Enugu, 4.1 per cent and Anambra, 7.7 per cent.

He pointed out that tests carried out in the hospitals cannot be used to evaluate the prevalence rate of the disease in the state because those who were tested were actually patients who came to the hospital because they were sick and for the fact that they were sick made them potential carriers, therefore it would be erroneous to use them to evaluate the prevalence rate of a given community.

Dr Alo also disclosed that a sentinel survey was being carried out in the state and the result would be out in February, disclosing that the body carrying out the survey, which was done on ante-natal patients, has concluded with the blood collection and would soon commence with the tests, noting that by February government would be able to know whether those suffering from the disease were increasing or decreasing in the state.

The Commissioner also revealed that his Ministry would soon sponsor a bill in the State House of Assembly to check the attitude of those who discriminate against people suffering from HIV/AIDS.

Source: http://www.thisdayonline.com/news/20031214news14.html