The US Deputy Chief of Mission, Kathleen Fitzgibbon, has said that the government of her home country spent over $5.4 to support Nigeria in the fight against HIV in the last 15 years.
This was done through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
He stated this in Asaba Thursday at the launch of the Antiritroviral Therapy (ART) Surge Response by the Delta state government.
Fitzgibbon said PEPFAR is the largest foreign assisted programme against any disease in the world.
FitzGibbon expressed concern over the rate of new infections, adding that many persons living with HIV are afraid of stigmatisation.
She said Delta state is aiming at 70 percent viral suppression rate target of September 2020, and urged stakeholders to see people living with HIV who have suppressed their viral load as heroes.
She said, “I ask that each of us see people living with HIV who have suppressed their viral loads as heroes. They are the franchise players in stopping new infections.
“They should be lauded for their courage in coming forward despite possible stigmatisation. They should be applauded for staying on treatment and should be recognised for making the disease untransmitable and stopping the disease in its tracks,” she said.
FitzGibbon also pledged the U.S. government’s support to Delta state especially in the identification and provision of treatment to approximately 63,000 people living with HIV, in addition to the over 17,500 people already receiving such treatment through the PEPFAR programme in the state.
US deputy chief also requested that Governor Okowa prioritise the procurement of additional HIV test kits to support the current PEPFAR initiated surge efforts. The additional test kits are necessary for identifying PLHIV in various communities in Delta and in moving the state towards HIV epidemic control by September 2020.
Launching the ART Surge, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa restated his commitment to the fight against HIV, and announced the approval of N100 million for the course.
