By AAT
Abeokuta- Prince Dapo Abiodun, Governor of Ogun State has disclosed that his administration would always provide an enabling environment for the sustainability of HIV programmes.
The Governor who made this known at the launch of Surge Light of AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) in the State, assured that the present administration would continue to ensure that people are saved from the clutches of HIV/AIDS through more sensitization, advocacy and other preventive measures.
He added that his government would also ensure provision of additional support for HIV case finding, through the provision of adequate Rapid Test Kits (RTKs), as well as human and material resources that would enable people know their status, noting that it would increase prevention, treatment and care to slow down the tide of the disease.
“We will need to heighten prevention, treatment and care to slow down the tide of HIV/AIDS and deploy all our technical, logistic and professional arsenals to reduce it from crawling to a standstill. We will intensify efforts on campaign at our parks and garages, schools and healthcare facilities and use of condoms’’,he said
The State helmsman noted that although commendable efforts and progress have been made so far, disclosing that there are still gaps in reaching the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAID) targets by the year 2030 and the SDG 3 target of global eradication of AIDS.
Abiodun lauded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for funding the AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria(APIN), acknowledging the foundation for consistently supporting and contributing to the Public Health Initiatives in HIV programme of the State.
In a swift response, the Chief Deputy Mission, United States Embassy, Kathleen Fitzgibbon who noted that she was in the state to see the progress that has been made in the areas of planning of the economy and health system strengthening , adding that she is confident of government’s commitments to make life better for its people.
Fitzgibbon also disclosed that the United States Government was considering implementing the AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria(APIN) with the help of the state government, added that they are also looking at offering HIV/AIDS treatment to 21,000 people in the state.