Groups Highlight Stigma and Poor Facilities Blocking Treatment for HIV, TB, Malaria in Akwa Ibom

Civil society groups and health workers in Akwa Ibom State have pointed out that stigma, cultural beliefs, lack of proper health facilities, and worries about privacy are stopping people from getting treatment for HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria.

They are urging the government to act quickly to make healthcare easier for women and vulnerable groups.

The stakeholders shared their thoughts on Friday in Uyo during a meeting to check how well gender-responsive health policies are being followed in the state.

They asked the government to raise public awareness about available services, train health workers to treat patients fairly, and provide necessary equipment for primary healthcare centres to encourage more people to seek treatment.

They also emphasized the need for regular data collection to monitor HIV, TB, and malaria cases and to evaluate the policies made to tackle gender inequalities in healthcare.

The meeting was hosted by Lawyers Alert in collaboration with the Media Health and Rights Initiative of Nigeria (MHR). This is part of efforts to boost accountability and support gender-sensitive policies in the health sector in the state.

Edidiong Enang, programme manager of Vitonia Lead Foundation, explained that cultural beliefs often stop women from speaking out. She mentioned that economic challenges and institutional barriers also make it hard for women to access healthcare equally.

"We have cultural barriers that people believe that women are not supposed to speak up," she stated. She added that women without financial independence often delay seeking healthcare.

Ms Enang noted that some health facilities do not cater well to women, while stigma may stop women from seeking services even when they are available.

She said the project has helped civil society groups to better engage with ministries, departments, and public officials who make policy decisions.

She called for ongoing advocacy to ensure that government bodies tackle these barriers and include women in healthcare programs.

Participants said the government should do more than just create policies and build model healthcare facilities. They stressed that primary healthcare centres need to be well-equipped to offer accessible services.

They asked that authorities increase public education about available healthcare services and train health workers to be more welcoming while respecting patients' privacy.

The organisations also highlighted the importance of consistent data on HIV, TB, and malaria to enhance case tracking and evaluate how well interventions work.

Health workers from primary healthcare centres reported that malaria treatment is free once a test confirms the infection.

They clarified that the state’s policy mandates testing before treatment, noting that not every fever is malaria.

Ubong Ekpo, who represents the state Ministry of Health, said the government is working hard to identify tuberculosis cases, including house-to-house testing in rural areas.

He mentioned that the state has three sexual assault referral centres at Ikot Ekpene General Hospital, Iquita Hospital in Oron, and Immanuel Hospital in Eket.

Mr Ekpo stated that the Ministry of Health is collaborating with the Ministry of Justice on relevant actions.

Enobong Akpan, project manager of the Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of AIDS, said the state has put several HIV policies in place but is still waiting for the governor to sign an anti-stigma law that the State House of Assembly passed.

An investigation by PREMIUM TIMES revealed that this delay has led to unnecessary deaths and more infections in Akwa Ibom State.

Mr Akpan confirmed that the bill is with Governor Umo Eno and has been sent to the Ministry of Justice for review before it is signed.

He praised Lawyers Alert for their technical support to the state, especially in reviewing the HIV workplace policy.

According to him, Akwa Ibom has policies for HIV prevention, workplace protection, treatment, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and care for key vulnerable populations.

He said the state updated its HIV workplace policy last year with help from Lawyers Alert and plans to release the revised document soon.

On tuberculosis, Mr Akpan noted that the state has a functional care and treatment policy, including for multidrug-resistant TB.

The discussions during the meeting showed the gap between having policies and ensuring that vulnerable groups can access services without facing discrimination.

Lawyers Alert and MHR started their Gender Equality Fund project in Akwa Ibom in October 2024.

This two-and-a-half-year initiative, supported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, in partnership with GSK and ViiV Healthcare, operates in Akwa Ibom and Benue states.

The project, called “Law, Rights and Community Empowerment for Social Change in TB, HIV and Malaria Response,” aims to strengthen women-led organisations and empower women leaders to demand accountability and advocate for policies that overcome gender barriers in healthcare.

The meeting in Uyo gathered government officials, health workers, and civil society groups to review how gender-responsive policies are being implemented, identify service delivery gaps, and clarify the roles of institutions, health facilities, and communities.

Participants agreed that the findings should guide advocacy and real actions to make healthcare services more inclusive and accountable.