IHS Towers, a leading global provider of Telecom infrastructure, has donated 75,300 HIV rapid test kits valued at $71,000 to Kebbi state Government.
The donation which was channeled through the United States Agency for International Development,
USAID, was received by the State Deputy Governor on behalf of Governor Atiku Abubakar Bagudu during a colourful ceremony held at the Central Medical Store Complex, Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.
Governor Atiku Bagudu’s Special Adviser on Media Mr Yahaya Sarki noted in a statement made available toTeam@orientactualmags.com that the contribution from IHS Towers will strengthen the ongoing efforts to fight HIV/AIDS in Kebbi state by the United States Government .
In her remarks at the ceremony, Cima Shalotan, the representative of IHS Towers ,who had a virtual attendance , said the donation of 75,000 HIV rapid test kits was part of efforts to strengthen the capacity to eliminate HIV/ AIDS in Kebbi State as part of the company’s corporate social service.
The telecom company which has presence in over 11 countries in the world with 7 in Africa including Nigeria according to her, represents the largest independent Tower operator in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
‘ We are the company that provides Telecom mast ,we are in every state in Nigeria .
We always ensure that we support, we partner, we collaborate and give back to our operating environment or the country hosting us.
In our first intervention in Nigeria, we donated 70,000 HIV/AIDs test kits to Bayelsa state in 2020’ she stated.
Cima emphasized the need to work together against HIV AIDs so as to eliminate the menace and also eradicate mother to child transmission which according to her had remained a big challenge in Nigeria.
She thanked Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and all development partners for their role in the fight against AIDs.
The USAID/Nigeria Deputy Director HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis Office, Omosalewa Oyelaran ,who also delivered her address virtually,
said the United States Agency for International Development, USAID partnered Kebbi State to support the fight against the dreaded disease; HIV/AIDs.
The agency has according her been in collaboration with Nigeria since 2003 through Ministry of Health and States Agency for the Control of AIDs to rapidly achieve epidemic control of the disease.
‘We are contributing to sustainable frame work on HIV/AIDs in Nigeria, we take pride in the programme and other health programmes.
In Kebbi State the donation will go a long way in assisting the State and supporting its capacity to eradicate the disease.
In contributing to efforts to end the HIV epidemic and as part of private sector engagement in Nigeria’s health sector, IHS Towers donated 75,300 sets of HIV rapid test kits valued at $71,000 to Kebbi State Government through USAID. The contribution from IHS Towers will strengthen ongoing efforts by the United States Government in Kebbi State to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic ‘ she averred.
She further said the test kits would support the prevention of mother-to-child transmission services within antenatal clinics and provide critical HIV testing services to numerous young children and others who are at risk.
Omosalewa Oyelaran added that the United States Government, through USAID, has provided lifesaving antiretroviral medicines to 691,000 Nigerians living with HIV/AIDS.
‘ In Kebbi State, USAID through the Accelerating Control of the HIV
Epidemic in Nigeria Project provides antiretroviral medicines to more than 16,400 adults and over 640 children’ she said.
Bagudu, who was represented by his
Deputy, Rtd Col Samaila Yombe Dabai, expressed immense happiness over the donation of the HIV rapid test kits to the State by IHS Towers through the USAID.
He said with Nigeria having over 1.9 million people living with HIV/AIDS, the country still remains a significant contributor to the global HIV pandemic and of the 4.8 million people in the state, about 23,834 are living with HIV.
The governor added that the donation would effectively manage the transmission of HIV from mother to child ,thereby reducing HIV/AIDs incidents in the state .
He once again, thanked IHS Towers and USAID and other donor agencies.
‘ This event is important to the state because it demonstrates our collective efforts to encourage equal access to treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDs in the state.
I like to declare our continuous collaboration and commitment to working with USAID and other implementing partners in the state to improve access to quality healthcare for the people of Kebbi State’ he assured.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner for Health, Hon Jafar Muhammad had thanked the IHS Towers and USAID for the donation.
He assured the donors that the HIV rapid test kits would significantly go a long way in supporting the State towards eliminating HIV/AIDs -Team@orientactualmags.com
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