Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has called for increased efforts to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic, urging more support for people living with the virus.
The Governor made this call on Monday during an awareness walk organised by the Ondo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (ODSACA) in Akure, the state capital, as part of activities to commemorate the 2024 World AIDS Day.
The event, themed “Take the Right Path: Sustain the HIV response and stop HIV among children to end AIDS in Nigeria by 2030″, aimed to promote awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention, reduce stigmatisation, and support individuals living with the virus.
The awareness walk, led by Governor Aiyedatiwa, started at the Government House, Alagbaka, and ended at the MKO Abiola Democracy Park, Akure.
The Governor emphasised the state government’s commitment to eradicating HIV/AIDS through various interventions.
He highlighted the state’s procurement of HIV test kits for all health facilities, the establishment of monitoring and evaluation programmes for family life and HIV education in secondary schools, and the airing of jingles on HIV prevention messages on radio and television stations.
Governor Aiyedatiwa called for stronger collaboration among civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, and religious groups to achieve the state’s goal of zero new HIV infections by 2030.
“As a government of the people, we are committed to the sustainability of HIV prevention in the state. We shall continue to provide enabling environments, social policies, and programmes to facilitate HIV/AIDS prevention,” he said.
Similarly, Dr Dayo Adegbulu, the Project Manager of ODSACA, reiterated that the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic is a collective responsibility.
Dr Adegbulu, who warned against the stigmatisation of people living with the virus, noted that Ondo State has passed a law to prevent stigmatisation and discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS,l. He encouraged citizens to report cases of stigmatisation to the relevant authorities.
The walk was attended by NGOs, civil society organisations, members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), students, and other stakeholders.
