Firms and bodies found to be stigmatising and discriminating people living with HIV may get a penalty of N1,500,000.00 in Anambra state.
Similarly, individuals who are also culpable to the crime of Stigmatization and discrimination would be charged the sum of N500.000.00 as penalty.
The Head of Anambra state Aids Control Agency, Mr Johnbosco Nkem Ementa, said this during a two-day Stakeholders’ Meeting on the fight against HIV/AIDS in the state;
“We have the 2014 HIV& AIDS Anti- discrimination Act which has not been domesticated in Anambra state and we have suggested the sum of N 1.5 million for organizations , firms and corporate bodies and the sum of N500,000 fine for individuals or imprisonment for a period not less than 1 year or to both such fine and imprisonment.
“The Act would soon be before the Anambra state House of Assembly and would go through the necessary processes so that it can become part of Anambra state law for it to have the much needed legal bite.
Continuing, Mr Ementa noted that the 2018 Nigeria AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey result indicates a national HIV prevalence in Nigeria of 1.4 percent among adults aged fifteen years to forty nine years which is the active population.
“This report has become instructive because it stands as a point of departure for us to step up the prevention activities and also know how best to check mate the spread of HIV /AIDS in Anambra state.”