Ekiti State government has commended the health practitioners over the height that has been attained by Ekiti state as the state with the lowest prevalence of HIV in the south west and the second lowest in Nigeria.
The commissioner for Health and Human Services,Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade made this known while declaring open the training of 80 health workers on HIV testing services and the use of test kit in Ado Ekiti.
She reinstate the Ministry’s commitment towards getting to zero of HIV new infection and AIDS related deaths in Ekiti state especially for pregnant women which made the ministry the best among other ministries in the state.
Dr.Kolade reminded the health workers across the state that anti-discrimination bill has been passed into law “this means that anyone who discriminate against People Living with HIV (PLHIV) will face the music of the law”. She said.
Earlier,the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Dr Folakemi Olomojobi appreciated governor Kayode Fayemi for his interest in the health of Ekiti people to regain what the state use to be in the last 8years as the second lowest HIV prevalence state in Nigeria with 0.8%.
The PS charged the health workers to go back to their facilities to do the pilot test of the training because every pregnant woman must have HIV counselling and test in Ekiti free of charge to prevent transmission of HIV from mother to child.
“Let it be on record once again that being tested HIV positive is not a death verdict and health workers must be the vanguard that people must not discriminate against them”. She said.
In his words of appreciation,the Director Disease Control,Dr. Ayodele Seluwa said it is now a rule in Ekiti state that all mothers must know their result as part of the services to be rendered in the Ministry of Health.
He appreciated the state government for the training and pledged on behalf of the trainees that they will give in their best to ensure that transmission of HIV from mother to child would soon become the thing of the past in Ekiti state
Abiodun OLOFE
PO MOH&HS
