The Director General of the Cross River State Agency for the Control of HIV/ AIDS (SACA) Dr Etcheri Ansa, has called on Partners in the Health sector particularly FHI360, to establish HIV/AIDS testing and treatment hub in Amen Clinic.
She made this known after taking a facility inspection at Amen Clinic situated in Enghaut Industry Uyanga, Akampa.
The DG who was emotional at the Services rendered by partners, noted that the essence of partnership was to encourage people living positive to get their treatment at a specific location, not a sparing access. She expressed worry over the stress being experienced by the patients which may eventually make them stay away thereby, exacerbating the already escalated health situation.
While explaining the importance of having HIV service hub at the clinic, Dr Ansa observed that such important services as testing and treatment cannot be given in isolation or only through mobile Services because majority of the workers are at their residence only on Sundays due to the nature of their work.
"It is a good thing that people have access to testing at the community level through mobile service, but it is more convenient to have the partners operate from a particular location such as this than the way it currently runs.
"There is a good population here, and you cannot expect patients who want to refill or get their drugs to wait until the partners come before they can be attended to. We have enough space here and the clinic is big for a facility to be stationed here," she said.
Conducting the DG round the facility, the Officer in charge of the clinic explained that most of the camps that housed the staff of the company could actually get such services if it was situated there.
DR Ansa further called on both government and partners to work together for a formidable healthcare delivery in the management of HIV/AIDS in the State.
At the moment, only few partners are currently in the LGA, and most of them running Community Mobile services, which sometimes results in multiple services as a result, may not give the patients full time services.
Among the partners currently giving services in the LGA include FHI360, AHF and other partners.
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