ANSACA To Partner Anambra First Lady's NGO On HIV Awareness, Testing Advancement

The First Lady of Anambra State, Dr. (Mrs.) Nonye Soludo, has said that her NGO, Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo, will collaborate with the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA) to strengthen HIV awareness, testing, and response efforts in the state.

Soludo who stated this when a delegation from ANSACA paid her an advocacy visit, noted that Anambra's current HIV prevalence rate calls for urgent and coordinated action, with the state now ranked fifth in the country among sub-national entities with the highest number of people living with HIV.

Addressing the team, the First Lady expressed confidence in ANSACA's capacity to drive HIV prevention, control, and public education initiatives across the state.

She commended the agency's efforts so far and expressed optimism that sustained interventions would significantly reduce the state's HIV burden in the shortest possible time.

She also directed the immediate inclusion of ten women living with HIV in her NGO's upcoming empowerment programme and reaffirmed her willingness to partner with ANSACA to curb the spread of HIV in Anambra State.

Earlier, while briefing the First Lady on the agency's activities and achievements, Executive Director of ANSACA, Dr. Nkem Okeke, explained that the agency has developed a strategic and sustainable work plan aligned with the development vision of the Anambra State Government.

He stated that available statistics place Anambra's HIV prevalence rate at 2.4 percent, above the national average of 2.1 percent.

According to him, this makes Anambra the state with the highest HIV prevalence in the South-East and the fifth highest in the country, a situation that requires intensified intervention and public awareness efforts.

Okeke further disclosed plans to establish the Anambra State HIV Research Centre at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka, in collaboration with the Federal Government, to advance HIV research, prevention, and control efforts.

He added that the agency is currently conducting free moonlight HIV testing across communities in Anambra State and remains committed to reducing the prevalence rate through sustained awareness, testing, and treatment initiatives.