The Association of Women Living with HIV/AIDS In Nigeria (ASHWAN), an NGO, has held a stakeholders meeting to mitigate the scourge and stigmatisation of HIV/AIDS patients in Kebbi State.
The meeting, which was held at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Establishment and Training Gwadangaji Secretariat in Birnin Kebbi, involved stakeholders from various organisations such as religious groups, i.e. FOMWAN, and CAN, SACA, MDAs, HRC and CSO drawn from all the twenty-one local government areas of the state.
Speaking with journalists shortly, national coordinator of ASHWAN, Mrs Esther Hindi, said the aim of the meeting is to interact with HIV/AIDS caregivers and develop a comprehensive blueprint for their behavioural changes regarding stigma.
” Some of them are shy and don’t want to interact with people or refuse to report their stigmatisation to the necessary authorities for advice and action so, we are here to discuss all these concerns together to come out with solutions on how best to change such attitudes,” Hindi said.
“We have about 60 participants in this meeting, and a lot has been discussed. We will compile our findings and submit them to the National office for recommendations. The results are expected to yield positive results that will be beneficial to the careers, ” she added.
Hindi noted that the main challenges of their association are inadequate manpower and staff as well as inadequate drugs and test kits, which are essential to patients with HIV/AIDS.
She called on both federal and state governments and other donors to come to the aid of ASHWAN in solving such problems.
On the recent US president’s action, the national coordinator described it as worrisome, calling on Nigerian governments to start thinking of a way forward on HIV/AIDS because they don’t want the services to stop.
