Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has announced that persons living with HIV/AIDS in the state will no more be asked to pay for health care in government hospitals across.
This follows recommendations by the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) urging the governor to increase access treatment for persons living with HIV.
The Governor stated that Rivers State Government would take over payments in all their public health facilities. This action will increase access to anti-retro viral treatment, while improving the likelihood of Rivers State reaching epidemic control of HIV.
Governor Wike also pledged to support the efforts of the United States Government, through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to alleviate the suffering of people living with HIV in Rivers State.
The support would be facilitated through a close working relationship with the CDC and the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN), who are supporting HIV treatment services in Rivers State, Vanguard reports.