Anambra urges families to tackle HIV through open conversations at home

The Executive Director and Project Manager of the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency, Dr Nkem Okeke, has called for renewed efforts to make HIV a strategic family conversation, stressing that everyone has a role to play in achieving holistic epidemic control in Anambra State and Nigeria.

Okeke made the call during an interview on Arise News on Monday, where he emphasised that HIV prevention, testing, treatment and the fight against stigma should not be the sole responsibility of government and healthcare professionals.

Instead, he urged families and communities to engage in open and regular discussions about the disease, adding that this would promote early testing, improve access to treatment, reduce stigma and discrimination, and inspire healthier lifestyle choices among young people and adults.

He said, “HIV needs to be made a strategic family conversation again, and everybody must be involved in the drive to achieve holistic epidemic control in Anambra, and indeed Nigeria.

“Encouraging honest conversations about HIV within families will promote early testing, improve access to treatment, reduce stigma and discrimination, while inspiring healthier lifestyle choices among young people and adults.”

Okeke emphasised that the fight against HIV requires the collective efforts of parents, guardians, community and religious leaders, schools, the media and other stakeholders to raise awareness and strengthen preventive measures.

He reaffirmed ANSACA’s commitment to expanding public awareness campaigns and deepening partnerships aimed at reducing new HIV infections while ensuring that people living with HIV have continuous access to quality care, treatment and support.

He urged residents of Anambra State to know their HIV status through regular testing and support ongoing efforts to eliminate the epidemic in the state and across the country.

PUNCH Online reported on June 18 that the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency officially launched the Healthy Living HIV Control Initiative with Nonye Soludo, a landmark grassroots intervention aimed at accelerating the state’s response to HIV/AIDS and achieving zero new HIV infections by 2030.

The event, held in Awka, brought together top government officials, traditional rulers, development partners, sponsors, civil society organisations, healthcare professionals, youth groups and other stakeholders committed to building an AIDS-free Anambra State.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of ANSACA, Dr Nkem Okeke, presented the vision and framework of the initiative, noting that Anambra’s HIV prevalence rate remains above the national average, necessitating innovative and community-driven interventions.

Okeke said the initiative would focus on community health education and awareness campaigns, free HIV testing and counselling services, distribution of prevention commodities, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and the empowerment of people living with HIV.