Akwa Ibom to enact law against HIV/AIDS stigmatisation

Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Dr Francis Udoikpong, has said that the government will soon enact a law against stigmatization of persons living with HIV/AIDS in Akwa Ibom state.

Udoikpong said that the law would reduce the level of stigmatization and the spread of the disease, adding that stigmatization was responsible for the people’s refusal to present themselves for treatment, thereby aiding the spread of the disease.

He went further to add that the State Action Committee on AIDS (SACA) was transformed into an agency to ensure the passage of the stigmatization bill into law and to reduce the prevalence of HIV/ AIDS scourge in the state.

“We are going to send a bill to the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly consideration regarding stigmatization in the state.

“It is our belief that when people are not stigmatized they will be willing to come out for counselling and testing, and by so doing, the prevalence rate in the state will be reduced.

“We should not stigmatize those infected with the virus. We need to show love, they are still our brothers and sisters.”

Udoikpong said it was unfortunate that Akwa Ibom is rated the second state with the highest number of persons living with HIV/AIDS. She also asserted that research had shown that the problem was more in rural than urban areas of the state.

He promised to provide advocacy and awareness campaign in the rural areas to sensitize the people on the dangers of HIV/AIDS.

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