BENIN CITY – The Project Manager, Edo State Agency for the Control and Prevention of HIV/AIDS (EDOSACA), Hajia Marietu Binkola said that the state government has adopted a multi-sectoral approach in impact mitigation in the control and prevention of the dreaded HIV-AIDS in the state.
Speaking at the quarterly meeting of the Technical Working Group (TWG) on policy, Advocacy and Gender during the week in Benin City, Hajia Binkola charged all stakeholders to join hands with Government in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the state.
According to him, “if we are not affected, our relations may be carriers of the virus.”
She however debunked the speculation that Edo State Prevalence rate has reduced from 3.8 percent to 0.8 percent, stressing that the only Agency saddled with the responsibility on HIV/AIDS related issues in the state is EDOSACA.
Binkola added that any information or statistics on prevalence rate not from the Agency should be ignored by the general public.
She noted that the state prevalence rate of 3.8 percent is not amongst the 12.1 percent states of the federation that have high prevalence rate in HINV/AIDS.
She said recent survey revealed that Edo State Prevalence rate has dropped from 5.3 percent to 3.8 percent.
Earlier in a brief remark, EDOSACA Community Mobilization Officer (CMO), Mrs. Flora Oyakhilomen gave the objectives for the meeting to include, to ensure members understand the terms of Reference of the Technical Working Group (TWG) on policy, Advocacy and Gender and to develop a costed work plan for the TWG.
Others, according to Mrs. Oyakhilomen are to appoint the executive of the TWG as well as to agree on next steps and deliverables for the TWG.
High point of the one day meeting, was the election of the Executive Chairman, Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the TWG which was keenly contested by participants at the meeting.
In the election, Dr. Onoho ‘Omhen Ebhohimhen (Ph’D) pulled a total vote cast of 19 to defeat Mrs Florence Igbinigie who pull 16 and was later elevated to the position of the secretary through a unanimous voice vote.
For the position of Assistant Secretary Miss. Priscillia Usuobafio pulled 18 votes to defeat her closest rivals, Mr. Blessed Jatt, and Purpose Iserhienrhien who pulled eight and five votes respectively.