Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has reaffirmed the government’s dedication to combating HIV/AIDS and reducing its prevalence to zero in the state.
This was during a meeting with the Zonal Director of the National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Mr. John Tobias, where the Governor, represented by his Deputy, Idi Barde Gubana, directed the Commissioner for Health and Human Services to develop a plan for an awareness campaign to address behaviors that promote the spread of the virus and stigma.
Additionally, the Governor instructed all healthcare centers to provide testing kits and encourage individuals to get tested.
He also urged medical practitioners to collaborate with traditional healers to combat the disease and called for a close partnership between the two institutions to explore the efficacy of traditional medicine in fighting HIV/AIDS.
Buni commended the National Agency for the Control of Aids and the State Agency for combating the HIV/AIDS scourge.
The Zonal Director, Mr. John Tobias, appealed to the state government to engage religious leaders in sensitizing the public on the importance of regular testing and reducing stigma.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the State Agency for the Control of Aids, Dr. Jibrin Adamu Damazai, expressed concern over advertisements promoting unscientifically proven herbal cures for HIV, a development he said was leading to silent deaths across the state.
