Network warns of HIV spike in C’River over test kits

From **Aniekan Aniekan, **Calabar

Civil Society groups working under the AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM) Network, have raised alarm over shortages of HIV test kits at some primary healthcare centres ion Cross River warning that gaps in testing among risk populations could worsen transmission if not urgently addressed.

State Coordinator of Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN), Effiong Udobong, disclose this during an advocacy visit to the Director General of Cross River State Agency for the Control of AIDS, (SACA), Dr. Charles Iwara.

Udobong who is also a member of the State Advocacy Team of the ATM Network said a key challenge noted in some PHCs is the acute absence of HIV test kits, a situation he noted had undermined quality health care services.

“Where kits are not available especially and at risk populations are not serologically screened, the undiagnosed cases keep spreading the infection that increases the state status underground,” he said.

While commending the partners for their support in the state and government prompt payment of counterpart funds, he urged partners to extend their services and SACA to strengthen its coordination, oversight and data validation system to avoid double reporting that could cause misrepresentation of the State’s status in Nigeria’s Sentinel report, which could lead to ineffective planning and a faulty health care system.

The State Programme Officer of the ATM Network, Victor Ogwuche, said the absence of kits has persisted in some PHCs facilities including Bebiaka in Obudu, Ibonda in Odukpani and others in Ikom LGAs. “It is very worrisome when pregnant women and other at-risk populations in these areas lack access to testing and counselling services,” he said.

Deputy Coordinator, TB Network (TBN) Solomon Achu and lead coordinator of the project appealed to partners to increase their service delivery points to address the issue.

Furthermore, Dr. Iwara, commended the ATM Networks for being an eye even in the remote communities to identify existing gaps and advocate to bridge them for effective health care delivery.

He said the agency was ready to collaborate with all stakeholders in HIV&AIDS response and management and made available 300 test kits to three affected PHCs in Odukpani, Ikom and Obudu LGAs.

He also assured that SACA remains committed to ensuring effective collaboration, coordination and oversight of sustainable HIV&AIDS services in the State.

The ATM Network, comprises the TB Network, the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NEPWHAN) as well as ACOMIN.

The Network is currently implementing the Global Fund GC7 Community-Led Monitoring CLM project in the 36 states and the FCT with TBN & Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) coordinating 11 States including Cross River.

The project works with civil societies and other stakeholders to strengthen the community healthcare system in participating states.

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