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HIV/AIDS: UNICEF, NOA scales up advocacy among Nasarawa adolescents

HIV/AIDS: UNICEF, NOA scales up advocacy among Nasarawa adolescents
By Awayi Kuje
HIV/AIDS
Keffi (Nasarawa State), Aug. 29, 2018 (NAN) The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says it is alarmed with the high prevalent rate of HIV/AIDS among adolescents in Nigeria and is engaging relevant stakeholders to combat the menace.
Mr Rabiu Musa, the Communication Officer of UNICEF, Kaduna Filed Office, made this known on Wednesday in Keffi at a meeting with media executives in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
Musa said the fund was partnering with the National Orientation Agency, State Governments, media, traditional rulers, religious leaders, healthcare experts and civil society organisations, among others, to enlighten youths on the dangers of the scourge.
He said the collaboration was focused on the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) and HIV/AIDs in order to tackle the spread scourge in the country.
According to him, the aimed of the meeting was to provide knowledge/orientation to media executives on PMTCT, AYP and HIV/AIDs situation so as to tackle the menace in the country.
“The aim is also to review and document programme of the media and organisations in the state in supporting the dissemination of PMTCT, AYP/HIV and AIDS messages.
“To leverage airtime and produce links for dissemination of PMTCT, AYP/HIV and AIDS messages.
“And also to develop media plans by the participating media houses for implementation,“ he said.

The official therefore enjoined the participants to appreciate the magnitude of and map out strategies on how to address the challenges on PMTCT, and Adolescent and Young Persons (AYP) in the society.
Besides, Musa called on the media to upscale to educate the public on the dangers of the scourge considering its negative effect to societal development.
He restated the commitment of UNICEF to continue to partner the state and other organisations in order to tackle the scourge in the country.
“We want to work towards addressing HIV/AIDS in Nasarawa State as the state that is one of the growing states in terms of HIV/AIDs,” he said.
Alhaji Galadima Soba, the Kaduna State Director of NOA, urged the participants to develop a good media plan for implementation and use of existing programmes for effective dissemination of PMTCT, AYP, HIV and AIDS messages worldwide.
Soba, who was represented by the state’s Deputy Director, Human Resources and Finance, Malam Hamza Audu, called for more systematic and improved packaging of the various messages in more effective ways on awareness creation of PMTCT, AYP, HIV and AIDS.
“I am optimistic that with the right attitude and inputs of the calibre of the participants here-present to develop a good media plan for implementation and use of existing programmes for effective dissemination of PMTCT, AYP, HIV and AIDS messages worldwide,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was climaxed with an overview of HIV/AIDS in Nasarawa State and shared experiences from Kaduna State, among others. (NAN)
AKW/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

(Video) NAN News Highlights for Wed., Aug. 1, 2018

 

  1. President Muhammadu Buhari presided over the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the presidential villa, Abuja, after returning from Lome, Togo, on Tuesday night where he emerged asnew Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States.

The Federal Ministries of Justice, Transportation (Aviation) and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission are among ministries and agency to brief the meeting.

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  1. Nigeria and China have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen military and security cooperation in line with the principle of mutual assistance in both countries.

Col. Liu Yongxuan, Defence Attaché of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar represented by Chief of Aircraft Engineering, Air Vice Marshal Abdulganiyu Olabisi, made the commitments at a ceremony to mark the annual 91st anniversary of China’s People’s Liberation Army in Abuja.

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  1. The Independent National Electoral Commission says the Aug. 17 deadline for the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will not be extended.

Mr Mohorret Bigun, Public Affairs Officer of INEC in Gombe, said the exercise
would henceforth include weekends and public holidays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  to enable more people register beginning from Aug.1 and would resume after the 2019 General Elections scheduled from Feb. 26 and March 2.

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  1. UNICEF says one in every two children in Nigeria suffer severe forms of violence before they are 18 years.

 

Rocoio Aznar Daban UNICEF Child Protection Manager, advised parents to adopt alternative measures of discipline to corporal punishments, to check the spate of violence related instability amongst adolescents.

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  1. Nigerian champion athletes and quartet team have been inducted into the African Athletics Confederation Hall of Fame.

Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor, Caster Semenya, Christy Udoh, Regina George, Dominique Duncan alongside Olusoji Fasuba: Africa’s fastest man and Tosin Oke, who set the current UK juniorindoor record, were also honoured.