Charles Ekanem|1 August
Three years developmental plan for Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV & AIDS training of state health workers, LGA PHC Coordinators, M&E health officers ended on Friday 29th July, 2016 at Mary Ekpiken Hall, Channel View Hotels, Calabar.
According to one of the facilitating agency, United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) spokesperson, Keneth Ehouzou said eliminating mother to child transmission of HIV and AIDS (EMTCT) remain an important public health problem of great significance in sub Saharan Africa, including Nigeria which Cross River State is inclusive. He said Cross River and Kaduna have been chosen by UNAIDS as a focus area for the project.
"We are supporting CRS to develop a plan to reduce MTCT of HIV & AIDS. The plan will be streamlined with the strategic health development plan of Ministry of Health and State Primary Healthcare Agency Multi-year Operational Plan for 3 years", said Ehouzou.
Speaking, Dr Betta Edu DG, CRS Primary Health Care Development Agency who represented the Honorable Commissioner for Health, Dr Inyang Asibong, at the openning ceremony said she was grateful to UNICEF for sponsoring this project. She noted that over 58% of pregnant women across the state do not know their HIV status and for the state to succeed in this project it must find innovative ways of reaching out to pregnant women even in the communities. She also emphasised on integration of services as a strategy to achieve more results in eliminating mother to child transmission of HIV. while urging Cross Riverians to go and check themselves at the nearest Health facility. "Our digital Governor, Sen (Prof) Ben Ayade and his wife Dr Linda Ayade are very interested in the total elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV & AIDS in the state. They have pledged to support the process till its attainment in 2020", Dr Edu intimated.
According to her it is expected that the implementation of this framework by the foot soilders, front line health workers and partners will significantly reduce the burden of MTCT of HIV in CRS & Nigeria in line with the presidential directives which declared PMTCT of HIV & AIDS a priority for national response in the country. Finally she said it will provide access to at least 90% of HIV exposed infants to be more efficacious in using ARV Prophylaxis by 2017.
Speaking also, Dr Inyang Asibong, Hon commissioner of Health CRS thanked UNFPA and UNICEF for the support towards developing this plan. She assured them of the support of His Excellency, Prof Ben Ayade on this elimination process of MTCT. She said the 3 year plan will reduce mother to child transmission of HIV & AIDS in CRS while urging everyone involved in the developmental plan to do everything humanly to achieved success at the end of the project.
Closing the training, the state Governor Sen. Prof Ben Ayade represented by Hon (Dr) Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, House committee chairman on health and member representing Bakassi State Constituency in the CRSHA, noted that the training was very essential for health workers in the state as eliminating mother to child transmission of HIV&AIDS and ending the virus is one of their priority in this dispensation. He said already a strategic health plan for the state and multi year operational plan for primary health is on course which would define our focus areas for successful implementation. He assured them that the house is fully in support of the project.
Finally the PHC coordinator of Biase, Mrs Lilly Ettah thanked the partners and state government for granting them this opportunity to be part of the developmental plan for PMTCT, in the state. She eulogize the state governor, commissioner and DG for successfully flagging of the project while assuring the partners of their total commitment to the elimination program.
Charles Ekanem
Is the media aide to the DG, State Pri Health Care Agency
