By Josephine Oguntoyinbo

The Ondo State House of Assembly has called for concerted efforts to combat the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the state.

It stressed the need for people to be cautious, responsible, and make themselves available for tests to ascertain their status for early treatment.

The House Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Intergovernmental Affairs, and Multilateral Relations, led by its Chairman, Tiamiyu Fatai Atere, stated this during an oversight visit to the Ondo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (ODSACA) in Akure.

According to Atere, the visit was imperative to assess the agency’s budget performance, identify challenges, and ensure a symbiotic relationship to further strengthen the system.

The committee appreciated the agency for delivering on its mandate and charged it to do more in achieving the set goals.

The lawmakers urged the government at all levels to strengthen the counseling unit of the agency and review its laws where necessary.

While acknowledging the importance of the agency in saving lives, the committee promised legislative backing for effective service delivery.

Earlier, the Project Manager of ODSACA, Dr. Dayo Adegbulu, who presented the agency’s activities, achievements, and challenges, informed that the state has an estimated HIV burden of 28,407, with 20,239 people currently on antiretroviral drugs.

He stated that the agency was established in response to the HIV epidemic and aims to achieve an HIV-free society, noting that the global community has made great progress in responding to the epidemic.

Adegbulu reported that the agency facilitated a reduction in HIV prevalence, achieving a treatment coverage of 71 percent, with a treatment gap of 8,163.

He emphasized the importance of prevention, vigorous sensitization, counseling, and a focus on sex workers, HIV testing services, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, care, and support for the infected. According to the national survey, the state currently has an HIV prevalence of 1.1 percent.

Adegbulu highlighted challenges faced by the agency, including combating different typologies of sex workers, weak political will at the local government level, non-involvement of the organized private sector, inadequate funding for youth programs, irregular supply of consumables, and overcoming stigma and discrimination.

He sought the support of the lawmakers in accessing funds to facilitate the agency’s activities for effective service delivery.