HIV/AIDS: Stakeholders Strategise On Way Forward For Adolescents



By Chioma Umeha
In a effort to build capacity for the implementation of HIV strategy for Adolescent and Young People, (AYP), stakeholders are brainstorm on its content and programmes.
Addressing journalists in Lagos the Senior Special Assistance to the governor of Lagos State on HIV/AIDS, Dr. Fisher Oladipupo  said “it is due to the high percentage of prevalence among young people living with HIV that informed the need to carry out intervention.”
Oladipupo further said that these group of young people are critical in addressing the spread of the virus and so the need to focus on them in reducing and mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS in the state.”
Lending her voice, Mrs Ezinne Okey-Uchendu who represented the Director, Programme Coordination Department of National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, Dr. Akudo Ikpeazu for the Director General Dr. Sani Aliyu said at the national level, the HIV plan for Adolescents has been launched and the agency will ensure that the plan is been adopted by all states of the Federation.
Aliyu said the strategy covers different areas for implementation and the plan includes; HIV treatment services, prevention programme for AYP,  we also have programmes targeting the pregnant AYP and also activities using the minimum intervention package in addressing the AYP.
He also added that the drugs are accessible using the different hospitals that are both comprehensive HIV services site  ?and as well as the primary health care facility in different states.
In terms of stigmatisation, Aliyu added that? NACA and state agencies on HIV/AIDs are working to ensure that awareness is created  and also ensuring that people get to know the AYP and prevention strategies going forward.
With the gradual withdrawal of donor agencies from Nigeria, Dr. Aliyu stated that NACA is currently funding Taraba and Abia state ?but there are other activities going on in other state.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Limited Information Frustrates Young Women From Using Family Planning

Image
BY CHIOMA UMEHA, Awareness and proper understanding of family planning has been recognised to reduce maternal death among young women of reproductive age between 15 and 49. Data on Sexual Reproductive Health outcomes in Nigeria stresses the importance of focusing on adolescents. At 576 maternal death per 1,000 live births, Nigeria accounts for 14 percent of the global burden of maternal mortality (NDHS 2013/WHO 2014). Global evidence shows that young girls bear a higher burden of maternal mortality and morbidity. Data shows that the average age at sexual debut is roughly 15 years of age among adolescent mothers in Nigeria. (NDHS 2003, 2008, 2013). The National adolescent fertility rate in Nigeria is 122 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 years. In the North Western States, it is as high as 171 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 years. To stem this, the government of Lagos State with support from partners and other donor agencies has put in place youth-friendly he
Read more

Insurgency: Nigerian Army Clears 25 More Children Of Links With Armed Groups, Says UNICEF

Image
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said Thursday that 25 more children had been freed from Nigerian Army administrative custody having been cleared of suspected links with armed groups. With this number, a total of 44 children had been released this year, bringing the number to 1,627 children since 2016, that is four years now, the UN agency for children has said. UNICEF which announced this in a press statement signed by its Communication Specialist, Dr. Geoffrey Njoku, specifically said, “Twenty-three boys and two girls were released today from Nigerian Army administrative custody after being cleared of suspected ties with armed groups. This brings the number of children released this year to 44,” it added. It bemoaned the discrimination, deprivation and cruelty which the children have suffered. “These are children taken away from their families and communities, deprived of their childhood, education, health-care, and of the chance to grow up in a safe and enabling envir
Read more

PSN President Commissions ACPN National Secretariat

Image
Chioma Umeha History was made among the community pharmacists recently, as the national body of the Association of Community Pharmacists (ACPN) inaugurated its National Secretariat at Ikeja, Lagos State. The event was graced by many notable personalities in the pharmaceutical sector including, Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, the president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) who commissioned the befitting edifice. Other notable guests at the event were – Dr. UNO Uwaga, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for ACPN; Pharm. Bukky George, the Managing Director of Healthplus, among many former presidents of different pharmaceutical bodies. Pharm. Yakasai stated that it was a thing of joy for him to see this development come to light. He said that he is ‘a proud father’ as the inauguration of the building was a “testimony of when you have a proud son who can carry out directives.” He described the secretariat as “A home for all pharmacists across board.”
Read more