Osun State Reports Over 50,000 Residents Living With HIV

Osun State Reports Over 50,000 Residents Living With HIV

Dr. Adeniyi Oginni, the Executive Secretary of the Osun State Agency for the Control of AIDS (O’SACA), has revealed that over 50,000 individuals in Osun State are living with HIV. In response to this, the agency has begun distributing preventive resources and is encouraging those with HIV to undergo testing…,……..CONTINUE READING

Dr. Oginni emphasized the importance of providing these resources to various organizations, including the 31 Local Agency for the Control of AIDS (LACA Managers), Network of People Living with AIDS (NEPWHAN), implementing partners, community-based organizations (CBOs) focused on HIV, Civil Society groups addressing HIV/AIDS (CiSHAN), and several ART clinics in the state. This distribution is seen as a vital step in the collective effort to combat the spread of the disease.

“Approximately 50,000 people are still living with HIV in Osun, with 28,000 of them already receiving treatment. Available statistics show that the prevalence of HIV in Osun State is 0.9 percent. With an estimated population of 5.2 million people, this translates to about 50,000 persons living with the virus in the state,” said Dr. Oginni. “There are still many who have not come forward to be tested. We urge them to do so. Knowing your status allows you to start treatment immediately, reducing the risk to yourself and the community.”

In related news, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a stern ultimatum to Chief Medical Directors and Managing Directors (CMDs/MDs) of healthcare facilities nationwide, demanding the immediate payment of outstanding accoutrement allowances owed to their members. This directive followed a comprehensive general meeting held by the association in Kaduna.

In a communique released after the meeting, NARD President Dr. Dele Abdullahi Olaitan, Secretary General Dr. Anaduaka Christopher Obinna, and Public and Special Secretary Dr. Egbe John Jonah unanimously agreed to a two-week deadline for these payments. They warned that non-compliance would trigger a nationwide strike by resident doctors.

The association also called for an end to the casualization of doctors and advocated for more secure and equitable employment terms within the healthcare sector. They emphasized the need for all healthcare facilities to be integrated into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to enhance payroll efficiency.

Furthermore, NARD condemned any form of assault on medical practitioners, stating that any such incident would result in an immediate withdrawal of medical services until the safety of the affected area is assured. They urged the National Assembly to enact laws making assaults on healthcare workers a criminal offense

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