By Onwa Ekor, Calabar
Determined to upscale activities aimed at preventing citizens from HIV/AIDS pandemic, Cross River State Agency for the Control of AIDS (CRSACA), has charged stakeholders to fashion out workable and sustainable plans that would snowball in its reduction in the state .
The interactive engagement which took place at the Marian Hotel, Calabar, drew participants from Civil Society Organizations, Non Governmental Organizations and other development partners especially those working with young persons in the state.
Addressing participants at the UNICEF assisted Young People engagement programme, the Director General, CRSACA, Dr. Charles Iwara, charged them to be more responsive and proactive on their duties to salvage the state from the pandemic.
“As we begin this year, there is need to come together as partners to collectively review what we did last year with a view to improving on the indices available in order to check HIV spread.
“So, we are here basically to call on our supporting and implementing partners to evaluate whatever they did last year in this sector and take it as the beginning of the things we need to kick start activities for the desired positive change.
“In all, we need more collaborative efforts and robust partnerships from our implementing partners and stakeholders for us to be able to achieve the desired reduction in HIV spread in the state,” Iwara said.
According to him, “all hands must be on deck because Cross River belongs to all of us and whatever affects it affects everyone.”
Iwara added: “As you are aware, once there is sickness in society, the economy is bound to suffer because health is wealth. You will agree with me that the most critical sector of the economy is health and if we are in good health, the economy will definitely be strong that is why the state is working assiduously to ensure that the citizenry no matter where they reside, enjoy good quality health.”
Earlier, CRSACA Programme Officer, Mrs Rose Ekum, informed that activities at the agency had remained moribund for two years, describing the engagement as a wake up call for the upscaling of activities to empower the populace for a safer state.
On their part, participants opined for the creation of adolescent dominant platforms to enable young people have unhindered access to all HIV/AIDS services as a lot of them shy away from facilities mann by their parents, a development they viewed as challenge to accessibility.
Highpoint of the week-long engagement was the adoption of a three-year implementation plan on the fight against HIV and AIDS in Cross River, as well as, the inauguration of the new Adolescents and Young People Subcommittee Technical Working Group, headed by Ms Martha Wilfred and co-chaired by Joseph Otei, to kick start the implementation.
