Apparently determined to demonstrate its zero tolerance for HIV/AIDS spread among its people, the Ondo State government said it has increased the service points across the state to enable more people access its integrated treatment of HIV, tuberculosis and reproductive health care.

Secretary to the State Government and Chairman, Agency for the Control of AIDS (ODSACA), Dr. Aderotimi Adelola stated this at the opening session of training of health workers and other stakeholders in the health sector in Akure.

He said the training is to integrate the treatment of tuberculosis, reproductive health into the HIV programmes at the local government areas adding that the service points had been increased to encourage more people take advantage of the provision.

While declaring open the five-day training, Adelola said, test kits and other consumables would be provided for the participants by the government through the Local Action Committee on AIDS (LACA) at the local government areas, noting that its part of efforts to ensure they carry out HIV counseling and testing while discharging their duties in the tuberculosis and reproductive health sector.

The SSG emphasised that trained facilitators and health workers are going to be linked with the hubs and spooks treatment model of the state for possible referral.

Speaking in the same vein, the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist of the Agency, Mr. Kola Oloye, said the move is to integrate HIV, tuberculosis and reproductive health care and treatment. He stressed that it would afford patients opportunity of accessing the three services at the same point.

A participant, Mrs. Oluwakemi Fakeye from Akure South local government area said the training would enhance the policy of zero tolerance to discrimination, infection and death of people with HIV/AIDS, adding that with the training given, it would help integrate care for HIV, tuberculosis and reproductive health.

She advised youths to know their status, stating that HIV is not a death sentence. She, however, urged them to abstain, remain faithful to their partners and avoid activities that could make them vulnerable to the infection.

Also in her own view, another participant, Mrs. Janet Ogunsusi from Owo local government said she had learnt the basic concept of HIV/AIDS through the training and she had also been taken through the rudiments of counseling, stigmatization, discrimination, among others.

By James Sowole in Akure