GOMSACA maiden retreat: Dahiru harps team building, networking
The Gombe State Commissioner for Health Dr Habu Dahiru, says teamwork amongst health workers is key to achieving universal health coverage.
Dahiru stated this at a two-day retreat for the staff of Gombe State Agency for the Control of Aids (GOMSACA) at the conference hall of the state specialist hospital.
He said, “Teamwork is a great tool in improving Health indices that is why I have been attending activities of all the sector to encourage synergy and collaboration.”
He said although the state has achieved epidemic control of HIV there is need for all stakeholders to come together to sustain it.
“We need to focus on Prevention of Mother Child Transmission PMTCT to reduce the HV prevalence rate to zero,” he added.
Dahiru appreciated development partners, stakeholders and the GOMSACA team on attaining the control level, saying the ministry of health would continually work together with GOMSACA to sustain the gains.
The State Chairman, Network of People Living with HIV in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), Muhammad Sabo, and that of the Association of Women Living with AIDS ASHWHAN Margaret Maisanda, said the fight to control the spread of HIV is a collective one and appreciated the GOMSACA for the retreat, saying “it will address issues bedevillng their members.”
Maisanda said ASHWHAN is working towards the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT), by encouraging HIV positive pregnant women, access PMTCT services, so as to deliver negative babies
The representatives of Development Partners to Include Society for Family Health Mr Bala James, Centre for Integrated Health Services, Mrs Emily Madina, and The Challenge Initiative (TCI), Yakubu Usman, commended Gombe state for being at the top in HIV response and other health matters.
“it is no wonder that the prevalence rate dropped from 5.8percent in 2007 to 1.2 percent in 2018 and called for more commitment to address some gaps especially in the area of PMTCT,” some of the development partners stated.
Also, Zonal Coordinator of the National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA), Dr. Tobias John, stressed the need not to stigmatise people living with HIV, saying “most people on drugs have attained viral suppression hence will not transmit the virus to other people.”
He called for more awareness creation to reduce stigma and discrimination in the state.
The Project Manager of GOMSACA Hassan Mohammad Dawaki, said the retreat which is the first of its kind was to bring staff from across the state to share experiences and be imparted with skills.
“on best practices to reduce the burden of HIV in the state, ” Dawaki added.
