ONDO EXTENDS HIV COUNSELLING AND TESTING TO MORE LGAs

ONDO EXTENDS HCT TO MORE LGAs

In continuation of the drive to zero HIV new infection, AIDS related deaths, discrimination and stigmatization of people living with HIV, the Ondo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (ODSACA) has flagged off mobile HIV counseling      and testing to all wards, camps and settlements in Ifedore local government area of the state, just as it began training of community volunteers to assist in providing mobile HIV counseling and testing in Ondo West and Ese Odo local governments.

Speaking at the event, the Secretary to the State Government and Chairman, Ondo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (ODSACA), Dr. Aderotimi Adelola, represented by the Project Manager, Dr. ‘Dayo Adegbulu, said there is need for collective efforts to minimize the spread of the virus, stressing that HIV counseling and testing is the entry point to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support; and as such the people must cooperate with the government towards preventing HIV because everyone is either infected or affected by the virus.

He said the State Agency for the Control of AIDS has extended HIV/AIDS education to secondary schools by teaching relevant publics abstinence and negotiation skills in order to ensure zero tolerance for the virus in Ondo State, adding that the people must continually embrace the prevention intervention techniques and know their status.

Addressing the volunteers in Ondo West and Ese Odo local governments, the Secretary to the State Government, stated that it is a punishable offence for an health worker to disclose the confidentiality of the person being tested to a third party, and therefore called on them to uphold the ethics of the profession. He maintained that the government through the support of World Bank has therefore empowered the Local Action Committee on AIDS (LACA) at various local governments to assist in the campaign against the virus.

Adelola maintained that extending the campaign to the local governments will ensure everyone regardless of status, religion; ethnicity or political inclinations know their status.

Flagging off the programme in Ifedore local government, the Caretaker Chairman, Mr. Pius Adebusuyi, noted that HIV/AIDS is a major challenge confronting the world today, hence there is need for aggressive campaign by the government and other partners.

He said in 2014, about 1,503 persons in the local government accessed mobile HCT services and 6 persons tested positive, thus the need for the people to cooperate with the community volunteers and undergo HIV counseling and testing in order to wipe off the virus from the rural area.

Reacting, the LACA Manager, Ifedore local government, Mrs. Olabisi Adewole, urged the Community Volunteers to own and sustain the programme by providing HIV services to the rural dwellers where they live, work and play. She appealed to every individual to take an HIV test which is the entry point for HIV prevention and treatment.

Likewise, the LACA Manager, Ondo West local government, Mrs Rosemary Ayodele and LACA Manager, Ese Odo local government, Mr. Israel Emokemlghan, noted that the mobile HIV counseling and testing is an avenue of increasing the awareness about HIV to the people at the grassroots, noting that this will decrease HIV new infection among the people, increase treatment of those infected and ensure that everything is done to re-alert the people about HIV.

The LACA Managers maintained that adequate counseling and early detection is a panacea to AIDS related death, in order to sustain the society and promote healthy living among the people, particularly the rural dwellers.

Others who spoke at the event, the Primary Health Care Coordinator, Ese Odo local government, Dr.Cornelius Olukoju, noted that the training of the community volunteers will bring new HIV infection to zero, make the people better inform about the virus and therefore called on the volunteers to become stakeholders to assist in reversing the spread of the disease. He said the volunteers have been equipped to combat the spread across the 10 wards in the local government, access treatment to referral centres and get integrated service.

Ayokunle Ikusemiju,

Press Officer,

Office of the SSG

ODSACA/NGO TAKES HIVCOUNSELLING AND TESTING CAMPAIGN TO MOTOR PARKS

ODSACA/NGO TAKES HCT CAMPAIGN TO MOTOR PARKS

A call has gone to motorists, Okada riders, long distance drivers and road users in the state to embrace HIV prevention intervention strategies in their daily activities, so as to safeguard their health, family and the society.

The call was made by the Secretary to the State Government and Chairman, Ondo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (ODSACA), Dr. Aderotimi Adelola, during a sensitization programme/mobile HIV counseling and testing (HCT) convened by a non - governmental organization, War Against HIV/AIDS On Wheel, through the support of the Ondo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (ODSACA) and the World Bank, as a way of educating drivers, Okada riders, long distance drivers and other road users in Akure South, Owo, Akoko North East, Ondo West, Odigbo and Ose local government areas, on the dangers and preventions of Human immuno virus.

Addressing the participants, the Secretary to the State Government, represented by the Prevention Focal Officer of ODSACA, Mr. Adebowale Okunrinboye, said the agency is determined to ensure HIV prevalence gets to zero in Ondo State, stressing that it will continue to reach out to various categories of people to ensure the message gets to everyone.

He appealed to every individual to take an HIV test which is the entry point for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, stating that the people must acquit themselves with prevention - intervention strategies that will prevent HIV new transmission, care for people living with HIV, reduce AIDS related deaths; while care and support will be effectively given to orphans and vulnerable children of people who died of HIV/AIDS.

Similarly, the Executive Director, War Against HIV/AIDS on Wheel, Mr. Femi Akinlabi, stated that the non - governmental organization has decided to collaborate with relevant state and international bodies to prevent new HIV infection, provide mobile HIV counseling and testing to the people, who were earlier educated on the need to know their HIV status, abstain from unprotected sex, remain faithful or use condoms.

He stressed that over 3000 drivers, Okada riders and long distance drivers in 6 local government areas of the state will be sensitized about the virus, adding that a minimum of 25 peer educators are being trained in all the six local governments and they are expected to mobilize and trained at least 20 drivers and /or Okada riders each on HIV prevention, treatment and care.

Akinlabi noted that their target is to ensure every local government is free from HIV and this can be achieved through collective fight and provision of needed logistics to assist in the crusade against the virus, whereby HIV prevalence is reduced to zero in the state.

The Executive Director, maintained that sensitization and advocacy programmes have been earlier carried out in the 6 local governments to enable the people understand the importance of the programme.

Responding on behalf of the Drivers, the Deputy Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Akure Branch, Mr. Victor Adeayewa, who lauded the government for consistently caring for the people, noted that the programme will go a long way to sensitise members about HIV/AIDS.

Ayokunle Ikusemiju,

Press Officer,

Office of the SSG