The Wife of the Governor of Abia State, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, has called on residents of the state to remain committed to regular HIV/AIDS testing and awareness in order to achieve zero tolerance for the disease in Abia.
She made the call at the BCA International Field, Umuahia, during the 2025 World AIDS Day flag-off rally themed “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response.”
Represented by the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adaeze Emetu, Mrs. Otti stressed that knowing one’s HIV status is a key step in fighting the spread of the virus.
She urged stakeholders to unite in breaking the stigma around HIV/AIDS, support survivors, and ensure they have access to essential services including testing, treatment, and counseling.
Mrs. Otti also applauded Governor Alex Otti for his health sector reforms and for empowering the Abia State Agency for the Control of AIDS (ABSACA) to lead the fight against the disease.
Speaking at the event, the Director General of ABSACA, Dr. Uloaku Emma-Ukaegbu, called for collective responsibility in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and assured that proper treatment is available for survivors.
She also appreciated Mrs. Otti’s consistent support in the ongoing campaign.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, represented by Mrs. Ngozi Okoroafor, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to affordable healthcare and encouraged survivors to remain strong and attend regular checkups.
Also speaking, Dr. Onyedikachukwu Ejim, State Team Lead for the Global Fund Project, praised the Governor’s health initiatives and emphasized the importance of regular testing, stigma-free support, and expanded awareness campaigns.
He also pledged to extend tuberculosis sensitization to rural areas.
In their goodwill messages, Dr. Rebecca Eze, Chairperson of the Network of People with HIV/AIDS, and Christiana Iheme, Key Population Coordinator, thanked the state government for sustaining HIV/AIDS sensitization efforts and urged the public to embrace testing and end all forms of stigmatization.
