by By Elijah Ugani – Calabar
The Director General of the Cross River State Action Committee on AIDS SACA, Dr. Ansa Etcheri has expressed concern on the stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS, especially by health personnel who ethically should protect them.
Etcheri stated this at the inaugural planning meeting for the 2020 World AIDS Day.
Her words “The Human Immuno-deficiency Virus(HIV) still exists. It is heart touching to note that persons infected with HIV are being stigmatized, especially by health personnel who ethically should protect them”
The DG stressed that HIV is like other illnesses such as Malaria, Hypertension amongst others. She used the opportunity to call on those who have hitherto tested positive to HIV, to gracefully access anti-retroviral drugs bearing in mind that the new drug reduces the viral load that would make a patient healthier.
Dr. Etcheri maintained that with the theme for the 2020 World AIDS Day, “Global Solidarity; Shared Responsibility”, the celebration will not be a fanfare but more of communicating the right information to the grassroots and community level in order to reduce the current prevalent rate of 2% in Cross River State.
The DG however entreats all Cross Riverians to adhere to the Covid – 19 protocols and ensure regular use of nose masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Tuberculosis and HIV.
She maintained that ” the carting away of samples from the Infectious Disease Hospital in Calabar, has made majority of the resident in Calabar susceptible to contacting this viruses, and encouraged adherence to preventive measures.
The planning meeting was attended by critical stakeholders and partners in the health sector, where they made commitment to the success of this year’s celebration.
