By Tayo Elegbede
The Lagos State AIDS
Control Agency (LSACA) says 72,000 adolescents are living with HIV in the
state.
 |
| Governor Ambode of Lagos State. |
Dr Oluseyi Temowo, Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of LSACA
made the disclosure on Thursday, 1/12/2016 while speaking in Lagos
on the sideline on the of a Stakeholders’ Forum on Adolescents Living With HIV
(ALHIV).
An NGO, Positive Action
for Treatment Access (PATA) in Ikeja organised the forum in partnership with
the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA) to mark 2016 World AIDS Day.
Temowo urged the people
to know their status early, added that drugs for HIV could be obtained free in
any government hospital in the state.
He advised parents,
guardians, healthcare givers and media to support the government in its effort
to stamp out the condition by engaging in massive sensitisation of the public.
Also speaking, Dr Olufemi
Onanuga, the Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Primary Healthcare
said that the state government would sanction any school or organisation guilty
of discriminating against HIV victims.
He also warned members of
members of public, employers and school owners against stigmatisation of people
living with HIV/AIDS.
According to him, the
state government on will commence enforcement of legislation prohibiting
stigmatisation and discrimination of people living with HIV in the state.
The governor’s aide
condemned a school for rusticating an adolescent girl on account of living with
HIV.
He said: ’’There is no
need for discrimination. HIV is not a death sentence; anyone can live with this
condition, like any other diseases like hypertension, for the rest of life.’’
“There is legislation
against discrimination, be it at work or school. No one should be kicked out of
school or work because of HIV.
“People live well as long
as they (the victims) take their drugs; we will commence enforcement of the
legislation against discrimination.
“As policymakers, we
would do everything possible to make sure that HIV is kicked out of Lagos State
and there won’t be discrimination for anyone.”
The Wife of the Governor,
Mrs Bolanle Ambode, appealed to policy makers across the country for
intervention programmes targeted at adolescents living with HIV and AIDS,
because of their strategic age bracket.
Ambode, the Special Guest
of Honour at the occasion, urged LSACA and all relevant government agencies to
continue sensitising the public on the danger of discriminating against people
living with HIV and AIDS.
Mr Francis Umoh,
Programme Manager, PATA said that the forum was conveyed to sensitise policy
makers and key stakeholders on sexual and reproductive health of adolescents
living with HIV.
Umoh said the step became
necessary to promote support for PATA’s intervention programmes aimed at
improving the quality of life of adolescents living with HIV in the area.
He said that PATA had
established the Mary’s Home to cater for the psycho-social and Sexual
Reproductive Health needs of vulnerable and indigent adolescent girls living
with HIV with no anywhere to stay.
The United Nations in
1988 declared Dec. 1 as the World AIDS Day.
The theme for the 2016
global event is “Hands Up for HIV Prevention.”
The Day is designed to
honour AIDS victims and focus on issues surrounding HIV (Human Immunodeficiency
Virus) and AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).
·
The News Guru
No comments:
Post a Comment