Ebonyi State Governor Warmly Welcomes the Global Fund Mission Team To Ebonyi State, Expresses Government Commitment To HIV Program
A GLOBAL FUND SUCCESS STORY
Since 2017, the Global Fund has invested about NGN1.3 billion supporting HIV programs in Ebonyi State. Last week a seven-man delegation from the Global Fund Mission led by Siobhan Crowley, Head of HIV/AIDS, accompanied by the project technical team from FHI 360 led by Ms. Christiana Laniyan, embarked on a three-day visit to Ebonyi State interact with the leadership of the State Ministry of Health and to access Global Fund investments in the state.
The visit kicked off with an Advocacy Dinner, hosted by the Ebonyi State Governor, His Excellency RTD. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, to celebrate the Global Fund’s supports through FHI 360 implemented Global Fund Nationally Aligned HIV/AIDS Initiative (NAHI) partnering with ECEWS and the state actors. In his keynote address at the dinner, Governor Nwifuru acknowledged Global Fund’s enormous contribution to the economic and health development in the state. He reiterated that his administration will continually provide the enabling environment for Global Fund investments to thrive, while ensuring optimal use of every penny invested for the benefits and wellbeing of the citizens. On the heels of this commitment, he disclosed his administration’s working to ensure the speedy passage of HIV Anti-Stigma Bill into the law, with a view to protecting human rights violations and promoting nondiscriminatory practices against the citizens living with HIV and AIDS.
The second day of the visit began with an entry visit to the Global Fund supported State Ministry of Health’ Situation Room, where the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, warmly received and appreciated the delegation to Ebonyi State. Dr. Moses highlighted the state government efforts in reciprocating the Global Fund investments in the state. Most notable were payment of health insurance for all civil servants and establishment of medical diagnosis to subsidize out-pocket medical expenses for the society. The team also received updates on status the State HIV Response program in Ebonyi state.
The next port of call was the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital (AEFUTHA) for a brief courtesy call to the Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Dr Richard Ewah, which immediately followed by a visit to the AEFUTHA Pediatrics Unit where team had chats with health workers and program beneficiaries supported under the Global Fund HIV program. The team extended their visit to the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakiliki (FETHA) ART department, to take a cursory look at operations and quality of services at the delivery points.
The myths that immunization is the “white man’s” way of achieving family planning and population control preceded the humanitarian crisis. Lack of knowledge about preventing the six killer childhood diseases – pneumonia, malaria, diarrheal, measles, HIV, and meningitis; the beliefs that witches spiritually cause ill-health, unorthodox medicine, and religion contributed to hinder immunization programs.
The delegation visited the ECEWS-managed One Stop Shop (OSS) clinic model in Abakaliki to learn how the project’s integrated community-based comprehensive HIV services provides a faster, private and more efficient key population friendly services compared to a conventional healthcare facility. The team ended the second of their mission with a visit to Clanol Community Pharmacy, one of the Private Propriety Medicine Vendors, providing expanded access for distribution HIV Self Testing and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis implementation in Ebonyi State.
The three-day visit ended with a townhall dialogue with community representatives (NEPWHAN, ASHWAN, KP Secretariat) and a debrief with ECEWS team before departing for Akanu Ibiam International
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