Osun State Government has charged residents of the state to go for HIV/AIDS screening in a bid to know their status, saying the disease is no longer a d3ath sentence.
Speaking at the distribution of HIV/AIDS prevention tools in Osogbo on Tuesday, the state Commissioner for Health, Barr. Jola Akintola said the state government is taking every necessary step to end the scourge by 2030 in line with a global deadline.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Isiaka Adekunle, he said the disease unlike before, is no longer a d3ath sentence if detected early and placed on regular treatment.
He added that the state has taken ownership of the process to ensure an end to the scourge by the 2030 deadline.
“Though we have many partners in the control and management of HIV, the government is not leaving it to the partners alone, they are equally taking steps to make sure that the aim of 2030 is achieved.
“I hereby appeal to those at home to come out. Presently, people should not die of HIV/AIDS. There are drugs for the management of the dis3ase and as far as the whole world is concerned, the aim is to put every affected individual on the treatment net, so that the ability to spread the dis3ase is reduced drastically,” he said.
Earlier in his address, the Executive Secretary, of Osun State Agency for the Control of AIDS, OSACA, Olusegun Daramola, commended Governor Ademola Adeleke, for his commitment to the provision of quality care and services to those who need it most.
“These items will undoubtedly enhance our capacity to screen citizens for HIV, and we are confident that it will make a significant impact on the lives of us all. Prevention of HIV spread is the duty of everybody, and it starts from a good screening exercise followed by prompt referral or linkage for commencement of treatment,” Daramola said.
Peoplesmind
