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Tag Counselling

Education

Forum urges parents, guardians to counsel wards against social vices

Counselling
By Emmanuel Antswen

Makurdi, May 14, 2019 (NAN) The Parents/Stakeholders Forum of the Benue State University (BSU) Makurdi, on Tuesday urged all parents to counsel their children against involvement in social vices.

The forum gave the advice in statement by its Chairperson, Chief Mrs Keziah Agundu and its Secretary, Mr Gabriel Labeh,.

The forum said that counselling children and wards on the dangers of social vices would help prevent negative behaviour in the society.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Social vices affect the society as a whole and the individual in particular.

The mental, physical, academic, moral aspects of an individual are almost always negatively affected.

 

The forum noted that more and more students of the university were getting involved in cult activities.

It, therefore, urged parents to ensure that they opened their children’s eyes to the negative impact such activities could have on their children and wards.

“This comes up on the heels of the recent drowning of two students of the university in River Benue.

“The forum, therefore, advise parents to make concerted efforts in counseling their children and wards against cultism and other vices.

“The students should as well guard against involvement in cult activities and other unethical behaviours and face their studies,” they said.

The forum appealed to the management of the university and the Benue Government to waste no time in addressing the issues raised by the BSU chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities  for the benefit of the students, staff, and the institution at large.

It said that by so doing all stakeholders would be able to avoid incessant strikes in the university.

“The forum advises the university management to henceforth engage with parents and guardians on issues of payment of fees and not students, as payment of fees is essentially a prerogative of parents and guardians,” it said. (NAN)
AEB /VOE/YEE
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Edited by Vivian Emoni/Emmanuel Yashim

Health

Stigma: Expert recommends professional counselling

Stigma: Expert recommends professional counselling

NAN-HG-6

Women

By Chinenye Offor

Abuja, April 5, 2017 (NAN) Mrs Eleanor Nwadinobi, Manager, Women and Girls Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme, an NGO, has recommended professional trauma counselling for victims of insurgency, rape and other social vices in the country.

She made this call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

According to her, proper counselling of the victims and their families will help in solving the psychological problems faced by them as well as curb stigmatisation.

She added that this measure would help the communities accept the victims back into the society as well end intergenerational stigmatisation.

“Women and girls in Nigeria are faced with immersed marginalisation; we are not just talking of peace in absence of war.

“Parents have a larger role to play in ensuring a proper training of the child in terms of education, among others.

“They should also provide basic needs to the development of the child in order for them to become an asset to the society and not a liability,’’ she said.

According to Nwadinobi, conflicts have contributed to some challenges faced by women and girls and as such needs a holistic approach in dealing with the problem.

She however said that appropriate approach regarding the situation included the participation of women and girls in the spectrum of peace keeping.

She also said that involving the women in mediation, negotiations and rebuilding programmes was key in solving the challenges faced by them.

Nwadinobi therefore urged the Federal Government to ensure that all policies are put in place and implemented as well assume its responsibilities to the populace in terms of health, employment and social security, among others.

She also admonished women to seek knowledge that would enable them adopt holistic approach to sound living. (NAN)

CSO/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

New HIV/AIDS: Expert recommends adequate testing, counselling

New HIV/AIDS: Expert recommends adequate testing, counselling

NAN-HG-6

HIV/AIDS

By Yinusa Ishola

Omu-Aran (Kwara), March 9, 2017 (NAN) Mr Mathew Awoyiola, HIV/AID Coordinator for Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara, has recommended adequate testing and counselling to achieve zero tolerance to new HIV/AIDS infection.

Awoyiola made the recommendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Omu-Aran on Thursday.

He said that the call became necessary in order to prevent new HIV infection through mother-to-child-transmission (MTCT) among pregnant women.

Awoyiola said the call for adequate deployment of resources by government toward HIV/AIDS testing and counselling was basically targeted at curbing new HIV infections as being championed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

He said that the Kwara State Aids Control Agency (KWASACA) in conjunction with the council’s Action Committee on HIV/AIDS had recently organised a workshop on HIV/AIDS in the area.

Awoyiola said the workshop which was targeted at long distance drivers, health attendants, pregnant women and TBL/HIV coordinators, was aimed at improving their knowledge of HIV/AIDS scourge.

He disclosed that an unborn child without any medical intervention has about 40 per cent chance of being infected

“It becomes a double tragedy and a complex situation when an unborn child contacts HIV from a positive mother which deprived the child of a normal healthy living, even before birth.

“Without doubt adequate testing and counselling for pregnant women, especially during antenatal care, will go a long way to reduce cases of mother-to-child-transmission,” Awoyio said.

The coordinator said although the HIV prevalence rate in the country had decreased from 5.8 per cent in 2001 to 4.4 per cent presently, saying the disease is still a long way from being brought under control.

“In fact, we should redouble our efforts; young people still represent the most affected age group.

“One in 20 young people aged 20 to 29 years old are infected by HIV.

“There is also an estimated 1.8 million children orphaned by AIDS in Nigeria, adding that MTCT accounted for three to 10 per cent of HIV infections in the country.

“With the introduction of core MTCT interventions in the developed countries, the rates had fallen to as low as two per cent.

“ The entry-point for prevention of MTCT services is through HIV testing of pregnant women attending antenatal care.

“HIV testing and counselling should be offered to all pregnant women seeking these services, and service providers should also mobilise them to go for testing,” he said.

He listed the benefits of testing and counselling as reinforcement of safe sex practices and empowering of HIV-negative pregnant woman to remain negative and provide opportunity for referrals.

Awoyiola highlighted other challenges facing HIV/AIDS testing and counselling to include additional work-load and stress for healthcare providers as well as limited space for counselling.  (NAN)

ISHO/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola