Be advocates of HIV prevention in communities, Wike tells Rivers people

To mark this year’s World AIDS Day, the Rivers State Governor, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has renewed his call to the people of the state to be advocates of HIV prevention in their respective communities and institutions.

The Rivers State Chief Executive made the call during the celebration of the 2017 World AIDs Day in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Friday.

Represented by his Deputy Dr. (Mrs.) Ipalibo Harry Banigo, Governor Wike said: “Abstinence is best for young people. Learn to avoid risky sexual behaviour.

Know your status today. Do not stigmatise infected persons. Let us all support Government’s effort to achieve universal health coverage for our people.”

According to him, it is totally unacceptable that a large percentage of new infections of HIV are due to mother-to-child transmission.

“Here in Rivers State, we have directed that every health centre and health facility must provide Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services.

It is a very cost effective technology to ensure that not one child is born HIV positive,” the governor said.

The Governor said his administration has invested substantially on strengthening the health care systems by renovating abandoned secondary health care facilities, upgrading and

equipping the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital for better standard of patient care and facilitating access to interest free loans for private health facilities to raise the quality of care.

“We are hopeful that the heavy drain of Out of Pocket Expenditure for health services will reduce once the State Health Insurance Scheme is fully underway,” he stressed.

Wike said the theme for this year’s celebration, ‘My Health, My Right’, resonates around the right to health services, access to social services and the importance of individual knowledge in order to keep healthy,

and expressed the need for everyone to take seriously, the simple tasks of routine exercise, diet and continuous effort of monitoring biologic indicators of good health.

On their part, the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Princewill Chike, his Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Caroline Wali, thanked the governor for his political will and commitment in the support of the Ministry which according to them has translated to improved service delivery in the health sector.

Highlights of the occasion were the presentation of Good Governance Awards to Governor Wike, his Deputy, Dr. (Mrs.) Ipalibo Harry Banigo, while Silverbird Communications (Rhythm 93.7 FM, STV)

and Steam Broadcasting Ltd (95.9 Cool FM, 92.3Nig Info, Wazobia FM) received Media Awards of Excellence for their outstanding contributions in the fight against HIV/AIDs.

Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt