Health Commissioner Calls For Inclusive, Comprehensive Healthcare For HIV Key Populations

By Our Reporter 

The Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr Egbe Ayuk has called on International Donors and development partners to support the State Government with more inclusive health programmes for more effective service delivery to key populations with high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS infection.

The Commissioner made the call, recently, while playing host to a team from Heartland Alliance, an implementing partner working for the advancement of health and human rights among HIV key populations.

Dr Ayuk also used the occasion of the visit by the team to appreciate all partners working on HIV/AIDS in Cross River for helping to scale down the prevalence rate in the State.

He however recommended that interventions by International Partners especially for key populations and those with low health access should have more comprehensive services, with behaviour change strategies in order to reduce harm and crime rates amongst key populations. He emphasized that government will continue to exhibit the political will as well as provide the enabling environment for interventions, noting that there is a law against stigmatization and discrimination in the State, and that this will be operationalised and enforced accordingly.

Earlier in her remarks, Heartland Alliance's Programme Assistant, Ndarake Usang, appealed to the government wade into the incessant arrests of key populations by security operatives. and other security agencies and have been assured by the Honorable Commissioner that all modalities will be put in place to ensure that their demands are met to give them a smooth working environment.

Heartland Alliance provides comprehensive HIV/AIDS services to key populations of female sex workers, men that have sex with men and people who inject drugs, etc.