The Enhancing Nigeria’s Response to HIV and AIDS (ENR) has said that it is worried about the high level of stigmatization of persons living with HIV and AIDS in Cross River.
The state Programme Manager, Mrs. Mary Mbukpa said this in Calabar at a one-day HIV Education Mainstreaming Workshop organized by ENR in collaboration with the State Action Committee for the Control of AIDS.
Mbukpa said that there was the need for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the State to intensify implementation of the strategic policy on HIV and AIDS in the work-place.
She said: “So many people still stigmatize people living with HIV and AIDS even in work places. The rate of HIV stigmatisation in the state is very high.
“There is the need for MDAs to implement the HIV and AIDS in work-place policy document. There is the need for more HIV and AIDS education in the offices and down to the communities.”
According to her, the State Government was trying to put in place a comprehensive lasting HIV and AIDS progrmmes.
She said this was to ensure the sustenance of all the existing structures and to establish new ones in readiness for the eventual exit of donor agencies in the country.
“Currently, most of the HIV and AIDS programmes are being driven by donour partners. “So, there are state coordination meetings with the state government on the way forward as the donour partners prepare to leave,” she said.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Prevention Specialist in ENR, Dr. Segun Oyedeji called for the mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS policy into the National Development plans.
Oyedeji said that this would enable a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholders response by ensuring the integration of planning, resources and programming issues.
“Mainstreaming HIV and AIDS into the national development process remains a key approach to addressing both the direct and indirect causes of the growing epidemic, ‘’ he said.
He listed six guiding principles for mainstreaming including national framework for HIV and AIDS; advocacy; continuous education and capacity building.
Contributing, Head of Monitoring and Evaluation, Department of International Development Cooperation, Mr. Igelle Mathew, stressed the need for harmonization of activities of those working on HIV and AIDS in the state.
