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| Commissioner Inyang Asibong (middle) cutting the tape with other aides of Gov Ayade |
Uche Alexis|2 December 2017
Cross River State Government commemorated with the rest of the world as they celebrated the World AIDS Day with an awareness and sensitization walk in Calabar, the State capital, in an event which was declared open by His Excellency, Sen. (Prof) Ben Ayade, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong.
In her remsrks the DG State Agency for Control of AIDS (SACA), Mrs. Rosemary Nyamba said ‘In Cross River State about 690,392 individuals have received results for HIV testing and counseling services, where 25,944 individuals tested positive and 4,589 are pregnant women.
“Since the first cases of HIV were reported more than 35 years ago, 78 million people have become infected with HIV and 35 million have died from AIDS-related illnesses, with about 3.1million people currently living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.’
‘The State has made some significant improvement in the journey towards ending the epidemic with a 6.6% HIV prevalence as opposed to the 7.1% in 2010. Cross River State is now ranked fifth on the scale of States in Nigeria with the highest burden after Benue, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra and Imo States.’
The state has also infused over three hundred volunteers into rural communities in the State to create more awareness and sensitization in the State.” – Governor Ayade said.
He further said the theme of this year’s celebration – Right to Health – is all encompassing as it gives everybody equal right to quality healthcare irrespective of their HIV status.
In the same vein Governor Ayade announced Friday, 15 December 2017 as the set date for the full implementation of the Cross River State Health Insurance Scheme christened AYADECARE, along with registration at #30 Barracks Road office of the State Health Insurance Agency.
This means all is now set for the enrollment of clients into the scheme as the Governor Ayade led administration is in a hurry to achieve Universal Health Coverage before year 2030.
While declaring open the 2017 Calabar Carnival Christmas village, His Excellency, Sen. Prof, Ben Ayade, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong, expressed his satisfaction at the level infrastructures infused into the Christmas Village bringing to live the 2017 theme “Bigger, Bolder and Better!”, as we as the large torn out of people. The thirty-two-day event will bring to life the culture and tourism of the State as they play host to the rest of the world with Africa’s Largest Street Party.
The event had in attendance top Government dignitaries, stakeholders in the State Health Sector, representatives of the United Nations Delivery as One and very excited Calabar residents.
Uche Alexis
Writes from Calabar
