President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday met with the governors of states worsthit by the spread of HIV/ AIDS, donor agencies and stakeholders with a view to tackling the scourge.
At the meeting held behind closed doors, Jonathan directed the National Agency for the Control of Aids, NACA, to come out with a work plan as part of measures to check the spread of the disease.
The President had attended an African Union, AU, meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, earlier in the week where the scourge of HIV/AIDS was among top items on the agenda.
Jonathan was particularly worried by the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria and the country’s rating as the second highest in Africa, Speaking to State House Correspondents after the meeting, Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, said the President was worried by the social, economic and security implications of the disease as well as the way forward.
“It is not a hidden fact that Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Plateau and some other states are the worst hit in the country and it is the level of seriousness the President attaches to the issue that necessitated this meeting.”
According to Suswam, NACA has been directed to come out with a work plan for 2013 as part of measures to bring the rate down while states have also been encouraged to go back and do more to reduce the rate in their domains.
Suswam said the Federal Government has promised to intervene in the area of funding while states would also contribute some percentage to fund issues of HIV in order to tackle the scourge with all commitment.
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