The Internal Centre for Aids Program (ICAP) has inaugurated three antiretroviral therapy centres in Western Equatoria State on Thursday.
The centres include Bodo and Gangura Primary Health Care Unit Yambio County and Sakure centre in Nzara County constructed by ICAP respectively.
The health hubs were initiated in collaboration with state authorities through the Ministry of Health.
According to a 2020 report by UNAIDS, HIV continues to be a public health priority with an estimated prevalence of 2.5% among adults aged 15-49 years with 18% of the estimated persons living with HIV (190,000) on treatment.
The centres are expected to provide consultation and psychological support to people living with the virus in the state.
Addressing the community of Sakure during the inauguration ceremony, the state Minister of Health, James Adu Votoki applauded ICAP for the services rendered to the local population.
Votoki also advises residents in the area to check their HIV status and regularly seek medical knowledge through the health facilities established.
“We have come with them to encourage and congratulate you for what has happened, so what I need to tell you the community of Sakure is, we should not only wait for those people to construct for us, we have to work with our hand,” Minister Votoki stated.
Meanwhile, the Country Director of ICAP, Florence Bayoa pledged to continue supporting the state government in implementing HIV/Aids and other health activities in the area.
Bayoa appeals for uninterrupted partnership with all relevant institutions in the country in responding to the health challenges facing the people.
“I really want to thank the government both the Ministry of Health at the national level and at the state level. We are privileged to have such people around us so that we can join the collaboration and work together,” Bayoa said.
She added, “Without teamwork and collaboration, we will not be able to support our people and we will not be able to have something like this.”
ICAP is a non-governmental organization that began working in South Sudan in 2012 to support the national response to HIV and strengthen fragile health systems impacted by decades of war.