Rivers
WAD: Commissioner Charges Communities On HIV Control …87% Rivers People Virally Suppressed
The Rivers State Government has charged its citizenry to be advocates of HIV/AIDS control in their various localities as part of preventive measures towards eradicating the ailment by 2030.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze C. Oreh, who made the call in her World AIDS Day broadcast, recently, said this is one way to enhance the efforts of the State Government in its quest to ensure a HIV Free State.
“I urge you to be an advocate for HIV control in your various communities: know your status today; do not stigmatize infected persons; pregnant women should endeavour to register at the health facility nearest to them for antenatal care.
“Let us support Government control programmes for more control successes”, she stated.
In the WAD broadcast, the Commissioner noted that in spite of concerted global efforts aimed at checking the trend of HIV infection, the ailment has remained a source for concern, even in Rivers State, requiring more commitment in order to end its existence by 2030, noting that Rivers State is one of the identified areas with high prevalence.
“Despite the successes recorded in the control of HIV/AIDS, the disease still has global presence, making the World AIDS Day remains as relevant today as it has always been even as we mark the 35th commemoration.
“Therefore, the need to increase awareness of the impact of HIV on people’s lives, end stigma and improve the quality of life of people living with HIV cannot be over-emphasized.
“The control of the virus has remained a critical factor in ensuring a healthy population, and is indeed contributory to determining life expectancy in many countries.
“Like most cosmopolitan cities in the country, Rivers State, is among the high prevalence States for HIV infection in the country in the past two decades.
“The 2018 National AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey conducted across the country by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and Maryland University, USA, places Rivers State at 3rd position in the country with a prevalence value of 3.8 after Akwa Ibom and Benue States.
”Although, this represents a drop from the previous value of 15.2% prevalence in 2010, the large number of estimated People Living with HIVs (PLHIVs) requires humongous effort to achieve epidemic control, technically referred to as 95-95-95 targets of year 2030.
“Presently in the State, it is estimated that 95% of People Living with HIV are aware of their HIV status, 98% are on treatment and 87% are virally suppressed and are receiving treatment in about 116 health facilities across the State, inclusive of public, private as well as primary, secondary and the tertiary treatment sites as a result of the efforts to achieve epidemic control”, the Commissioner said.
This year’s theme, “Communities: Leadership to End AIDS by 2030”, she continued, “draws attention to People living or affected with HIV/AIDS and groups that are at increased risk of HIV transmission.
“We recognize that communities play important roles in the HIV response in terms of rendering services, creating demand, reaching people with services difficult to reach with formal health service, resourcing, providing leadership and changing social attitudes in order to promote equal access to care.
“We are also concerned about the persons who are yet to know their status, who are stigmatized or have suffered disabilities as a result of the epidemic”.
Consequently, she said, “the State is committed to improving the quality of lives for Persons Living with the virus by guaranteeing access to care and good quality health services comparable to international best standards.
“The State AIDS/STIs Control Programme, in conjunction with its supporting partners, have continued massive voluntary community testing campaigns across the State with innovative retention strategies for meeting the targets of HIV elimination.
“As part of on-going programs and highlights for the World AIDS day commemoration, the State AIDS & STIs Control Programme, in collaboration with its supporting partners, have already embarked on massive case finding and linkage to care of identified positives in all the Local Government Areas.
“These are clear indications of our commitment to improving access to health services for HIV, and ultimately improving patient outcome.
“Patients are receiving quality care without stigma in convenience and ambience of confidentiality, and also living happier lives as evident with the recent commissioning of the Kelsey Harrison Hospital and the Maxillofacial and Dental Hospitals in Port-Harcourt by His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS.
“We acknowledge the collaborative assistance of the United States Centre for Disease Control, the Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria, UNICEF, Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, other Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the media and other members of the Health Sector Control Team in the on-going control process”.
World AIDS Day, the Cmmissioner further stated, “is a day devoted to awareness creation, advocacy, and sensitization for consolidation of the on-going HIV/AIDS control programme. As usual, it brings together various stake-holders and partners who are engaged in the control of HIV epidemic worldwide”.
By: Sogbeba Dokubo
The Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, says the state judiciary has a total of 23,870 cases pending in various courts in the State.
This figure includes all cases pending in Magistrate, High, and Customary Courts, as well as Customary Court of Appeal in the State.
Justice Amadi stated this while presiding over a special court session held to mark the comencement of the 2024/2025 new legal year held at the auditorium of the High Court in Port Harcourt, Thursday.
The State Chief Judge, while giving the breakdown of performances by the Judiciary in the last year ended, revealed that the stastics of the cases brought before the courts from October 30, 2023 to 30th September 2024 is 31,886, while cases filed stood at 14,791 and cases disposed in the period under review is 22,725.
He further disclosed that the State Judiciary and the customary courts generated a total of #525,322,478,83 as revenue in the last judiciary year under review.
He described the special court session as an annual ritual of the judiciary marked to herald the beginning of a new legal year, stressing that it affords the judiciary and all stakeholders the needed opportunity to take stock of the activities of the judiciary in the past one year in order to improve, with a view to strengthening the justice administration.
The number one state judiciary officer stated that the judiciary had undertaken a lot of capital infrastructure in the year ended to ensure the comfortablility of the workers and judicial officers, and announced that additional high courts would be constructed at Okehi and Degema to ease the challenges of numerous cases coming from such jurisdictions.
Justice Amadi further disclosed that the state judiciary has a total of 51 judges, 57 magistrates, 30 Chairmen of customary courts, and 60 presiding members, adding that the state judiciary has 12 judicial Divisions, 37 magisterial Districts, and 30 customary courts.
“We lost seven judiciary staff, Port Harcourt NBA lost 16, Okehi branch 1, Bori branch 2, and Ahoada branch 2 . Creation of a judicial Division is based on cases filed from such area and we recommend for approval of such and not for politically based”, he stated.
The State Chief Judge used the opportunity to thank the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for the support given to the judiciary in the state, noting that the success recorded by the judiciary in the state was attributed to the huge support from the State Governor.
He also appreciated the efforts of the security agencies and the media for their various cooperation and support and urged them to sustain such in this legal year .
In their various speeches at the event, the State Attorney General and Commissoner of Justice, Dagogo Isreal-Ibroma, SAN; the Leader of the body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Rivers State, OCJ Okocha, SAN; and the Chairman of NBA, Port Harcourt Branch, Mrs. Eke Cordelia, commended the achievements recorded by the state judiciary and urged that more measures be put in place to enhance speedy dispensation of justice.
The special court session was preceded by a church service.
By: Akujobi Amadi
A religious body in Rivers State, the House of Jesus Christ Ministries, has appealed to the warring politicians in the State to stop the orgy of violence over leadership supremacy and embrace genuine dialogue.
This is contained in a recent statement by the Parish Church Council (PCC) meeting of the church.
The statement, which was signed by the General Overseer, Apostle Joseph Emmanuel; Secretary, Evangelist ThankGod Akpanowoh; Parish Women Leader, Mrs. Promise Aniebet William; and Parish Evangelist, Elder Aniefiok Benneth, noted that the spate of violence witnessed across the state has taken unimaginable dimensions with the recent killings, wanton destruction of properties, and the burning down of Council Secretariats.
It said if care is not taken, the crisis could extend to homes, and therefore called on the warring parties to stop and gove room for a lasting solution.
Blaming the Federal Government under the watch of President Bola Tinubu, who it said had been seemingly passive in handling the political difference between the former Governor of the State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“The kind of crisis we are seeing cannot be rationalised. Whether in Rivers or Lagos, whether we are talking of state violence of political upheavals rocking the state, we plead as a church with the contending politicians to pull back their hatchets of indifference for the sake of peace, unity, stability and progress, and allow the possibility of genuine dialogue to begin, and lasting peace restored”, the church said.
Noting that the xurrent wind of democracy blowing in the state is one of the legacies of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and others who preach peace, love and development in the state, the Church cautioned against further crises “in the once peaceful state for posterity”.
It urged the current politicians in the country to emulate the peaceful disposition and virtues of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, which is instrumental to the prevailing peace in the state, in the face of continued provocations.
By: Bethel Toby
Rivers State has topped the performance chart in the implementation of the Nigerian Community Action Resilience And Economic stimulus (NG -CARES) programme in the South-South and Nigeria.
This was contained in a report released at the just-concluded two-day peer learning and experience sharing event in Port Harcourt.
According to the report, Rivers State performed excellently in all aspects of the programme implementation.
The state was followed by Delta State, which emerged second both in the South-South and the country at large.
Meanwhile, the World Bank has approved an additional $500million for the extension of the programme for the next three years.
World Bank Task Team leader, Dr.Lire Ersado, said at the event that the programme has lived up to expectations as it has gone along way to alleviate the sufferings of millions of poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
Ersado, who was represented by Professor Folorusho Okumadewa, said NG CARES has gotten the right strategies and approach in making sure that poor and vulnerable Nigerians can smile.
He said the programme, which was initially setup to address suffering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, is even more relevant today with a view to addressing the plights of Nigerians affected by flood and other natural disasters.
Ersado said the Port Harcourt meeting, which is the sixth in the series of meetings held across the country, will provide opportunity for all states in the country to cross check their performances with each, as well as learn from the successes and failures of each other.
Also speaking, Rivers State Commissioner for Commerce And Industry, Barrister John Otamiri, said the programme was in line with the State Government programme of alleviating the sufferings of the people.
He also said the government is ready to partner with NG CARES to alleviate the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Otamiri said also assures that Rivers State is safe for investment.
While reeling out its performances, National Coordinator, NG CARES, Dr. Abdulkarim Obaje, said the world Bank is passionate about the programme , adding that the bank has graciously extended the programme for another three years with an additional $500 million.
He said within the last three years $750 million was disbursed to the 36 states and FCT in 160 delivery platforms.
Obaje added that 9.2 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians also benefited from the programme across the country in the last three years.
Earlier, Rivers State Coordinator, RiV CARES, Mrs. Ephraim George Imaonyani, commended the delegates for choosing Rivers State for the South-South meeting.
By; John Bibor
