The Cross River Ministry of Health says it will clamp down on those collecting illegal fees from persons living with Human Immune Virus (HIV) in the Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) centres in the state.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Joseph Bassey, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Friday that the measure was to enable the patients’ to access free healthcare.

Bassey further disclosed that a memo to that effect had been pasted in some of the healthcare facilities that cared for persons living with the virus in the state, that the treatment of HIV was free.

He said the ministry had set up a task force that would go to the facilities discreetly and fish out those responsible for illegal collections.

“This is to encourage patients to come out and access care to reduce the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in the state. The state wants to make it a criminal offence for anyone who is positive to willfully transfer the virus to another person because someone transferred it to him/her.

“We are waiting for the house of assembly to fully commence sitting so that they will amend the law to tackle the issue of people that are HIV positive and want to pass the virus to others. We are already talking with the Speaker of Cross River House of Assembly, Mr Eteng Williams”.

HIV/AIDS is no more a dreaded disease as there is free treatment which could reduce the viral load of a patient to an undetectable level.

“You can be positive and have negative children; so, there is need for high awareness in society because there is prevention from mother to child transmission. We urge everyone to come out and get tested; the testing which is free should be done every three months at least. Immediately the virus is detected in anyone, counseling and treatment commence,’’ he said.

Bassey urged the media to help monitor health centres and sensitise the public on the dangers of stigmatisation against persons living with HIV and encourage patients to adhere to treatment. (NAN)