WHO, UNICEF partner FG on HIV/AIDS control
Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja
In its bid to complement the federal government’s efforts in combating the HIV/ AIDS scourge, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other partners have donated vehicles to the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.
Also received from the global partners is an upgraded office structure.
The other partners involved in this new initiative include, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR/Emergency Plan) respectively.
Prof. Adewole, who received the donation on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the donation was the beginning of ending HIV /AIDS pandemic in Nigeria.
While appreciating the global partners for their kind gesture, the minister reassured the international community that the donations will go a long way in eliminating HIV in Nigeria.
He said: “On behalf of Federal Ministry of Health and by extension the people and government of Nigeria, I want to sincerely appreciate WHO and other partners for the good gesture and to reassure you that it will go a long way in our fight to eliminate HIV in Nigeria.”
Adewole further assured the global partners that the federal government would put in place structures that would sustain the cordial relations between it and her development partners.
Earlier, the WHO representative, Dr. Rex Mpazanje said that the donation was to complement the effort of Nigerian government in its fight against HIV/ AIDs. He added that WHO remained committed to supporting the government and the people of Nigeria in ensuring a HIV free society.
Meanwhile, Prof. Adewole has said that Nigeria had re-established the National Treatment Prevention Programme with a view of taking full control of the national HIV response programme in the country.
Speaking during a meeting with staff of the National AIDS /STIs Control Programme (NASCP), the minister said that the national treatment and prevention programme would further showcase the activities of federal government on HIV and would bring an end to the spread of the disease in Nigeria.
He further reiterated the federal government’s commitment to halt the spread of HIV/ AIDS in Nigeria through several government interventions already in place.
