NACA faults FG’s efforts at checking HIV/AIDS
The Leadership of National Agency for Control of Aids (NACA), Delta State, has faulted Federal Government’s efforts at checking the spread of AIDS/HIV across the country.
It said that the FG efforts might not yield the desired result, particularly at the grassroots where most state governments allegedly contribute less than five percent of its budget to put the disease in check, the Director, Partnership Co-ordinator in Delta State NACA, Dr. Emmanuel Hassan, said. He alleged that there is a widespread of the disease among the Local populace, adding that victims within the rural areas have no access to drugs or treatment.
Dr. Hassan who spoke to journalists in Asaba Tuesday, chided Federal Government on what he described as “poor methodology to checking the dreaded disease, considering the widespread in the rural communities.
Noting that the FG’s initiative started well by contributing 27 percent of the funding to check the spread of HIV/AIDS, he regretted that most state governments were yet to key into the vision to check the spread of the disease.
But the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Azinge, in a swift reaction, disagreed with NACA’s take on the state governments’ supportive efforts, disclosing that Delta State Government was committed to providing adequate health facilities for the “sick”.
His words: “Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa as a medical doctor is very passionate about health for all in Delta State, we have been doing our best for the few victims of HIV/AIDS, and we have moved into the rural communities with a view to checking the spread, Delta State Government is very supportive of the FG efforts”.
