WAAIDS asks EFCC to probe state agencies for the control of AIDS across the country for financial frauds

The Writers Against AIDS has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) to probe and investigate the financial transactions of
state agencies for the control of HIV/AIDS across the country headed
majorly by some wives of few states governors.

According to WAAIDS, It is no more news that Nigeria is Africa’s most
populous country and is home to the third largest number of persons living
with HIV/AIDS.

Poverty, stigma, embezzlement of HIV/AIDS grant funds, discrimination and a
poorly coordinated health system constitute major barriers to HIV treatment
and prevention efforts in some states.

This was contained in a press release issued and signed by the national
coordinator of the group, Mr. Wole Adedoyin in Ibadan on Sunday after a
strategic meeting with some stakeholders in the state.

According to WAAIDS, the HIV funds which ought to have been used in taken
care of people living with AIDS were either diverted into an unknown
account for selfish purpose or used for an unknown activities, whereas
hundreds of people living with HIV/AIDS are dying every day. In some
states, Chairmanship and membership into the State’s agency for the control
of HIV/AIDS is now political. As some politicians think it is an avenue of
making their millions not minding hundreds and thousands of lives begging
for care, attention and medication.

“It is our opinion that the agency for the control of AIDS should be headed
by medical practitioners who are well versed in the field and not the wives
of elected state governors who have seen the position as their
constitutional rights”

“It should also be noted that every new infections starts with someone who
is already infected. New infections occur because infected persons do not
take the necessary precautions or because of poorly organized protective
services. Patients are also not being sufficiently educated on their
responsibility to prevent the spread of HIV and are not being included in
protective service. HIV diagnosis is a traumatic experience that
significantly changes a person’s life. Many people in Nigeria are still
unaware of their status; these and others should be the watchwords of those
agencies at the state level but they failed to discharge them .”

“We are therefore calling on EFCC to beam their searchlight and investigate
fraudulent activities going on in some of these states agencies. Their
accounts should be audited. Valuable lives of people living with HIV/AIDS
are wasting every day for political reasons.

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