Though the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Rivers State may have reduced from 3.1 percent to 2.1 percent, Port Harcourt, the state capital is still being threatened with the spread of the virus.
This is even as more revelations emerged from the commemoration of the World AIDS day, on the rising case of gay practice in the State.
Coordinator of HIV and AIDS management at the Braithwait Memorial specialist Hospital, Dr. Nyemelem Michael told DAILY POST that the hospital has about fifteen thousand HIV/AIDS patients.
He disclosed that five thousand of the figure were currently on the anti-retroviral drugs, stressing that the problem of stigmatization had played role in scaring AIDS patients from visiting the hospital.
According to Michael, “If you are talking about those who we are seeing that are positive in Port Harcourt, we have close to 15,000 people. Out of that figure, only about 5,000 are currently taking the anti-retroviral drugs”,
Meanwhile, Chief Medical Director of the Rivers state Hospitals Management Board, Doctor Okikere Iragunimah, who represented the state Commissioner for health, said the state government was committed to winning the war against HIV/AIDS.
“I have to tell you that Rivers state government is committed to winning the war”. he declared.
However, persons leaving with HIV/AIDS had mentioned stigmatization as the major challenge facing them.
An AIDS patient, Peace Elijah, who shared her experience with our correspondent, said the issue of stigmatization was still very high in Rivers State, adding that it was worse than the virus itself.
Elijah, who is also the coordinator of Women Living with HIV/AIDS, said expert clients were being used to help curb the issue of stigmatization.
She noted that though HIV is a permanent virus, persons living with AIDS could still live a normal life.
She said, “As for me as a PLA, HIV has made me to have wonderful friends. When I checked my status, I was privileged to disclose it to some persons.
“Until you accept HIV as you accept diabetes and high blood pressure in our society, that is the only way you can cope well with it”.
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