NASACA, an acronym for Nasarawa State AIDS Control Agency is an off-shoot of the Nasarawa State Action Committee on Aids (SACA).  The transformation of what was hitherto known as Action Committee on Aids to NASACA, no doubt, was necessitated by the present administration’s resolve to address squarely issues that constitute threat to the health of the citizenry.  HIV/AIDS pandemic, as we are all aware, is a scourge that has all along been consuming humanity like wild fire in a forest.  To address its effect and other health issues, the Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma administration made health care delivery one of its 13-point agenda.

In a determined efforts to improve the health of the citizenry and conscious of the danger HIV/AIDS poses to entire humanity, SACA was transformed into a full fledged agency through the passage into law and the eventual signing by the House Assembly and the executive governor respectively, of a bill establishing the agency.  NASACA becomes fully operational in December 2007.

Basically, an agency to mitigate the spread of HIV/AIDS, NASACA is saddled with the enormous responsibility of ensuring care for peoples living with the disease as well as evolving strategies aimed at ensure that people are not infected by the disease.

The fact that HIV/AIDS is a dreaded disease whose cure is not yet in sight is not in dispute.  Available statistic shows that every year, millions of people get infected across the globe just as hundreds of thousands are killed by this dreaded disease.  As it is often said, “If you are not infected, you are affected”.  No doubt, it is in recognition of this hard fact that there are calls for collaborative approaches to combating the menace of this killer disease.  The establishment of NASACA was in furtherance of government’s determination to stem the tide of the dreaded killer disease, HIV/AIDS.

In Nasarawa, a predominantly agrarian state with low level literacy, the prevalence rate for HIV/AIDS, according to statistic, is 6.7%.  By this rate, the state ranked third in the country with high prevalence rate.  Of course, this is a great challenge to not only to the state government and NASACA, but to all lovers of Nasarawa state specifically and to lovers of humanity in general.

Conscious of this challenge, it has become imperative to call on NASACA to intensifies efforts at tackling the spread of the disease as well as to strengthen efforts at care and protection for people living with it.  In fairness to NASACA and to the credit of the Nasarawa state government, significant improvement has been recorded with regards to efforts aimed at combating the spread of the disease.  At least,, an appreciable level of progress could be said to have been made with regards to creating awareness.  For one, NASACA, with the support of the state government, has facilitated the scaling up of comprehensive treatment sites for HIV/AIDS in three local government areas of the state, namely Obi, Akwanga and Nasarawa, symbolically representing the three senatorial districts in the state.  Activities in these centres which include voluntary counseling and testing as well as administration of anti-retroviral drugs deserve nothing short of commendations.

Further still, to help complement its activities, NASACA has embarked on aggressive public enlightenment campaigns through various media, across the state.  To ensure a wider coverage at the local government level, the Local Action Committee on AIDS (LACAS), has been strategically positioned to coordinate the awareness campaign about HIV/AIDS to the rural dwellers.

To a very great extent, NASACA under the leadership of Dr. Isiaka Bako, deserves commendation for all its practical and highly effective efforts at addressing the issue of HIV/AIDS in the state.  But then, of course, the challenges for NASACA, and indeed, all and sundry, are enormous mindful of the fact that the disease still rages on.

NASACA must endeavour to intensify its awareness campaigns at the grassroots.  Inspite of all the hues and cries about the HIV/AIDS pandemic, thousands of the rural dwellers seem to be in total ignorance of mode of transmission of the disease.  Worst still, must rural dwellers have not yet learnt the basic facts about prevention and care for people living with the disease.  Due to stigma and some cultural beliefs, many people die silently of the disease in our villages.

The multi-sectoral approach adopted by NASACA in addressing issues of care for people living with the disease, and prevention of the disease is indeed, a commendable effort.  But as a matter of fact, the approach needs to be strengthened.  NASACA should expand the scope of its activities to include dealing directly and on continuous basis with the youths, who are the most vulnerable segment of the society.

NASACA, it must be stated, needs to increase its manpower, mindful of the fact that its operation, duties and responsibilities are enormous.  From all indication, the agency is under-staffed.  Having few staff when it was merely on action committee is understandable.  But now as a full fledged agency with an expanded scope of operation, powers and functions, the need to increase its manpower so as to effectively cope with the ever changing and increasing challenges of the task of combating HIV/AIDS cannot be underestimated.

Beyond this, Seat of Power believes that NASACA deserves commendation for its efforts.  It has achieved a lot in no short a time with very little.  All that is needed is the cooperation and support of all and sundry.  To this end, respective local government areas and the well-to-do individuals as well as non-governmental organizations are called upon to help provide funds to ensure success of the ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS.

As expected, the state government has indicated its readiness to facilitate and ultimately, ensure prompt release of funds to the agency.  The counterpart funding provided by the state government will no doubt assist greatly in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The current fight against HIV/AIDS in Nasarawa state needs to be scaled up.  To do this effectively, there is the need for NASACA to explore alternative sources of funding.