DELSACA Boss , Hobson Calls For Abolition Of Harmful Cultural Festivals , Tasks Individuals To Know Their HIV Status

DELSACA Boss , Hobson Calls For Abolition Of Harmful Cultural Festivals , Tasks Individuals To Know Their HIV Status

By Magnus Emuji 

The Executive Secretary, Delta State Agency for Control of HIV/AIDS, Dr. Rudolf Hobson, has urged communities in the State to abolish harmful practices during cultural festivals that tend to cause human rights violations such as sexual molestation and assault, insisting that such assault could lead to the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Dr. Hobson stated this while speaking with journalists on the sidelines of gender and human rights workshop organized by DELSACA and sponsored by the Global Fund.

Reacting to the recent sexual assault during a supposedly fertility festival in Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area of the State, Dr. Hobson said that though culture is  dynamic hence  communities must focus only on the positive aspects , just as he called on traditional institutions and other stakeholders to stand against such practices.

He noted that the aim of the workshop was to coordinate the activities surrounding gender and human rights issues relating to persons living with HIV and  Tuberculosis,  stressing that due to stigmatization people suffer, they become vulnerable to gender and human rights violation including sexual molestation.

While identifying stigmatization as a serious problem in gender and human rights issues, Dr. Hobson stated that those with HIV and TB often suffer more by virtue of the fact that they are battling a certain ailments and for them to  successfully mitigate their treatments recovery and integration into the society, thru need the support of everyone.

Dr. Hobson implored all individuals to go for HIV testing to know their status early enough so that they could prevent it from getting to the end stage , reminding them that HIV patients  are healthy because they are complying with their treatments.

He revealed that the Delta State is yet to  achieve the first target of identifying 95% of the patients in the state through testing  but had recorded 95% in the area of putting identified HIV patients in treatment and 98% viral suppression,  even as he appealed to corporate organizations and spirited individuals to support in providing rest kits as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility.

Earlier in their separate remarks, Chairperson of the Association Against Child -Based Sexual Violence, Amb. Eris Jewo-Ibi and a representative of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Mrs. Patience Ohoriemu , a GBV advocate, Uche Akamagwuna and a representative of Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme, Faith Otu admonised survivors and witnesses of gender based violence to always report such cases.

They said that domestic violence took center stage among most of the GBV cases they had handled within the first  quarter of 2026, noting that the essence of the meeting was to present their progress report and evaluation.

Jewo-Ibi disclosed that from the reports she collated from various CBOs working with her organization, a total of 50 domestic violence on intimate partners relationship and 4 rape cases were reported.

Akamagwuna, who explained that she had secured 6 judgements for GBV survivors and had ensured that affected partners/husbands are made to be  responsible since her retirement from Delta State Ministry of Justice, admonised survivors of GBV to lay their complaints before any magistrate courts that have the jurisdiction to entertain such issues.

Otu said that her organization had supported several survivors of GBV, particularly those who have experienced sexual, physical and emotional violence in different communities and facilities in the State.

According to Ohoriemu, the responsibility of FIDA was to protect and preserve the rights of women and children, stressing that women gender are easily endangered in the society, hence the need to stand the gap for them.

The  State Chairman of a Civil Society Organization on Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN), Pastor Gregory Sifo advocated for more awareness creation on GBV issues so that people can know their rights when it comes to GBV matters .

Sifo charged families to learn how to resolve their issues amicably before such issues deteriorate to domestic violence, emphasizing the importance of more safe homes to serve as shelter for survivors of GBV before they  are properly settled.

In her remarks, the Chief Welfare Officer, Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno revealed that 378 cases reported , with 5 prevention actions implemented against GBV while 34 survivors had been provided with livelihood support and that 2 GBV survivors are in the recovery and supporting services .