AKHA PASSES HIV/AIDS ANTI-STIGMA, DISCRIMINATION BILL

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has passed into Law,  "a Bill For a Law to Prohibit stigmatization and Discrimination Against People Living With HIV/AIDS Counselling and Testing and for other Matters Connected Therewith".

Speaker Otong Otong during Tuesday's plenary

This came following the adoption of the report of the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Hon. Moses Essien who is also the member for Ibiono Ibom State Constituency.

 The Bill which was earlier read a second time was further committed to the Committee on Health for in-depth study and consideration.

Submitting his report, the Committee Chairman disclosed that a public hearing was conducted on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 where inputs were gathered from stakeholders and the general public.

Hon Moses Essien submitting his report

He also informed his committee received written memoranda and oral submissions from the Commissioner for Health, the Attorney General and Commission for Justice, Policy Alert, the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA , Members of Civil Society Organizations, Association of Nigeria Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Personal Assistant to the Governor on person with Disabilities and many others.

The committee in it's submission observed that the Bill when passed into Law would accomplish the following; ‘safeguard the Constitutional rights of persons living with HIV/AIDs through the prohibition of all forms of discrimination at any level, including employment, healthcare, education etc. thereby protecting their interest and dignity.

Hon. Essien who is also the lead sponsor of the bill, explained that early detection of the virus and treatment of the affected person(s) and sensitization against discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDs which will promote a culture of acceptance and understanding in alignment with global efforts aimed at putting an end to the epidemic by year 2030.

The Bill seeks to strengthen enlightenment efforts of the State Government on HIV/AIDs, improve access to health care, punish individuals or groups who peddle false information on the cure of HIV/AIDs with the aim of defrauding people living with the virus.

The House after dissolving into the committee of the whole to consider the report of the committee, further adopted the reports of the whole which had the Speaker as it's chairman.

The House subsequently through a motion by Hon. Sunday Udofot Junny the House Leader and Member for ONNA State Constituency, seconded by his deputy, Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Otobong Bob, member representing Nsit Ubium State Constituency passed the HIV/AIDs Anti-Stigma Discrimination Bill.

 Speaker, Rt. Hon. (Eld.) Udeme Otong directed the clerk, Mrs Nsikakabasi Orok to communicate the resolution of the House to the Governor of the State, His Excellency Pastor Umo Bassey Eno for assent.