HIV: Stakeholders advocate access to care, PMTCT services
By Justina Auta
Stakeholders have advocated improved access to healthcare and Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services to reduce transmission, improve the health and well-being of individuals living with HIV.
They made the call on Thursday at a one-day research findings dissemination meeting on PMTCT and Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) of HIV organised by Association of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (ASHWAN) in Abuja.
Mrs Esther Hindi, the National Coordinator of ASHWAN, said inadequate access to healthcare services, stigma and discrimination, among others, hinder progress in HIV response.
She, therefore, called for sensitisation, access to PMTCT services for hard-to-reach women, community-based interventions and peer support programmes, strengthening of healthcare services and implementation of anti-stigmatisation laws to support women living with the virus.
She said “we should create an environment for women living with HIV and pregnant women specifically to ensure they access healthcare services.
“We need to strengthen referral systems and make sure that we don’t miss out on women.
“Let us give priority to underserved communities, especially women and ensure they access services freely without stigma and discrimination.
“We also have policies and laws in place, but they have been silenced, so we need to implement and make them active, as not all states have passed the anti-stigma bill.
“There is also the need to create awareness on existing laws, implement them so that perpetrators and people that abuse their rights are brought to justice.”
She also stressed the need to retrain health workers to enable them to become conversant with HIV care and treatment and make them interact with people living with the virus without discrimination.
Hindi explained that through the Love Alliance project supported by Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) in Delta, Oyo, Nasarawa and Kebbi States, ASHWAN tried to address the gaps in HIV prevention and treatment services for children and mothers.
She added that the project aimed to address the needs, increase the voices and visibility of underserved populations, as well as build their capacity to advocate for their rights and well-being.
Also, Usman Muhammad-Magiro, the Programme Manager, Kebbi State Agency for the Control of AIDS (KBSACA), called for stakeholders’ engagement, sensitisation at community levels and increased funding to eliminate PMTCT.
Ms Joy Adiele of Goshen Foundation assured that the research findings will be cascaded to people at the community level to ensure the elimination of PMTCT.
Also, Ayomide Joshua, Programme Officer, Lawyer’s Alert, reaffirmed commitment toward ensuring the rights of women, marginalised and vulnerable groups were upheld.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Ahmadu Bako, the Chief of Kuruduma Community, One Man Village, Nasarawa State, commended ASHWAN for the support, adding that the community would continue to create awareness on HIV/AIDS prevention, transmission and care. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu
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