The Kwara State Coordinator, Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Mr. Fatoye Francis, and the state coordinator, Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Mr. Fadesere Ademola, on Monday called on Nigerians to avoid discrimination and stigmatisation of people living with the disease in the country.

Ademola said there were 12,201 people living with HIV/AIDS in Kwara State and that the anti-HIV/AIDS campaigns in the state needed more government funding.

They also called on the Kwara State Government to ensure the release of about N199.9m for AIDS/HIV prevention and management in the state and to include about N200m in the 2015 budget for HIV/AIDS management and care.

The two spoke at the end of their HIV/AIDS sensitisation walk to the office of the state's Deputy Governor, Mr. Peter Kisira, in Ilorin.

Members of CISHAN walked from their office in Ilorin through Post Office, Muritala Muhammed Road, Offa Garage Road, Secretariat to the deputy governor's office at Ahmadu Bello Way, Ilorin, to sensitise the residents and mark the 2014 World HIV/AIDs Day.

They carried placards with different inscriptions such as, 'Discrimination kills faster than HIV/AIDS. Stop it.' 'One test saves lives.' 'HIV/AIDS is not death sentence.' 'People with HIV virus are still human beings, stop discrimination and stigmatisation.'

Francis said, "As the developing partners are streamlining or withdrawing their assistance, it has become needful for the Kwara State Government to ensure ownership or control of the sponsorship of the prevention and management of HIV/AIDS campaigns in the state.

"The government should plan for counterpart funding for the state and release fund for HIV/AIDS services; procure ART drugs and reagent for HIV services for the state; procure and maintain CD4 machine, haematology machine and PCR machine."

Ademola said there was continued decline in HIV and AIDS funding for Nigeria, adding that there was currently a big funding gap for HIV and AIDS services in Nigeria.

He said, "In Kwara State, the major funding partners for HIV treatment, PEPFAR and Global Fund, are reducing and streamlining their support to the state. Presently, there are over 12,201 people living with HIV who are currently on treatment in the state.

"About 8,359 clients with life-saving ART are supported from MSH supported facilities. There is a crucial need for the state to sustain and fund HIV and AIDS services because Kwara State is highly depending on partners for ART and other HIV/AIDS support services."

The Project Manager, Kwara State AIDS Control Agency, Dr. Johnson Oyeniyi, said the state government had been investing in HIV/AIDS control activities. He added that the state had already started modalities to ensure more support and sustainability of HIV/AIDS campaigns in the state.

According to him, the state government is actively involved in making HIV/AIDS control services available at the grassroots.