The Executive Director, Plateau Aids Control Agency, PLACA, Mrs. Esther Turaki has commended the work of Civil Society Organizations working to end HIV&AIDS in the state and tasked them on collaboration to achieve the vision 2030 of ending HIV and AIDS.
Mrs.Turaki was speaking at a program organized by Civil Society for HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, (CISHAN) for the flagging off of mapping of CSOs working on HIV&AIDS in Plateau State at COWAN House, Jos.
In a remark, she acknowledged the efforts of all partners working tirelessly in the past years even when the coordinating body in the state, which is PLACA was not actually doing well.
“I will like to appreciate all that the CSOs under CISHAN are doing, you are doing quite a lot and when PLACA was not doing much, some of you were still doing it…to see that the HIV/AIDS activities is not completely halted.”
“Our focus in PLACA is that, if we must end HIV/AIDS by 2030, we must focus on prevention, we must make sure that every body knows his or her status.” She said, as she announced the recent training they had on mother to child transmission.”
The PLACA Executive Director, Mrs. Esther Turaki, noted that the state is still recording new infected cases on a weekly basis.
On the mapping, she commended CISHAN for the initiative, saying that it would help them understand where they are and where they are going.
“So we must put our hands together to strengthen what you are doing, ours is to see that what efforts you are doing is strengthened, provide you with all the necessary support that you need because you are the voice of the people.
Mrs. Turaki informed the CSOs that one other thing that PLACA is pushing for is the enactment of anti stigma law in the state, assuring them that the process is ongoing and would be completed soon.
The Plateau State Coordinator of Civil Society Organizations CSOs, Rev. Christopher Damcher, appreciated the PLACA Executive Director Mrs. Esther Turaki and the Plateau State Governor, Barr Caleb Mutfwang for what he described as wind of revival in HIV/AIDS response in the state.
He said the flagging off of the mapping of CSOs in Plateau State would sustain the gains made for HIV/AIDS in the state for years. He said they are going out in full force to achieve the first 95 target of everyone knowing his or her status.
Rev. Damcher noted that the mapping would help reposition the CSOs for further intervention coming from PLACA, because the mapping would show who is ready, who is still on track and who is still having the structure for HIV/AIDS response in the state.
During the flag off of mapping of the CSOs, mapping verification tools were given to all CSOs present to fill, and the verification team would visit all the CSOs in their respective offices for the exercise.
The verification team were in the office of Media Action for Health, Environment and Sustainable Development, (MAHESD), one of the leading organization in HIV/AIDS response, other health issues and safer environment campaign in the state for the verification.
