17th May, 2012
About 124,000 residents in Ogun are living with HIV/AIDS, Mr Olaokun Soyinka, the state Commissioner for Health, said on Thursday.
Soyinka said this in Abeokuta at a news briefing to mark the first anniversary of Gov. Ibikunle Amosun’s administration.The commissioner said the prevalence rate of the virus in the state stands at 3.1 per cent.
He, however, said that his ministry had embarked on a number of HIV/AIDS control programmes, including the training of 186 International Conductors to help in the prevention of the disease.He further said that 35 HIV/AIDS Counselling Centres and 31 sites for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission and treatment were established across the state.
The commissioner disclosed that the ministry in collaboration with that of Justice would sponsor a bill for the setting up of the state’s AIDS Control Agency.He said that the government had paid N50 million counterpart fund to draw from World Bank credit facility on HIV/AIDS.Soyinka said that the government would continue to enhance the capacity of various stakeholders in the fight against the disease.
On primary healthcare, Soyinka said that the state had rehabilitated 47 health facilities across the 20 local council areas.“Each centre was also equipped and provided with a generator and a borehole.”The commissioner said that the governor had given approval for the employment of 800 health care workers.“We are in the final stages of the process of employing them. This is a major initiative that will greatly improve services in all the facilities under the Hospital Management Board.”On emergency services, Soyinka said that four additional ambulances had been purchased to strengthen the existing fleet.