Kaduna partners stakeholders to reduce mother-child HIV transmission

From Femi Oyelola, kaduna

Kaduna State Government is to work with all stakeholders to reduce the HIV transmission from Mother toChild.
The wife of the State Governor, Hajiya Ummi Aisha Nasir El-Rufai, disclosed this during a sensitization meeting with Local Government Chairmen and stakeholders on Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV and Adolescents service held in Kaduna yesterday.
Mrs. El-Rufai said even though the accepted benchmark rate is 96 per cent and Kaduna State is over 60 per cent which is good, she however stressed that more efforts need to be made to salvage Mother-To-Child transmission menace.
She further disclosed that the state is working round the clock to close the gaps to get out of the problem.
Mrs El-Rufai explained that the state is sensitizing the women on what to do and how to access treatment.
On stigmatization against people living with HIV, she said the society should accept and encourage them because this is not their making, and should be shown love like any other people.
She said the greatest challenge appears to be achieving the elimination agenda by the year 2021, that is to say no child acquires HIV from his mother. However, with your full commitment to creating awareness on the PMTCT intervention in our LGAs, we shall succeed.
“It is important for you to note that achieving this goal would indeed improve the lives and wellbeing of our women and children.
“This is our fight, hence the need to support, encourage each other and work together as a team. We must save the upcoming generation.
“Children are our future. We cannot afford to miss this opportunity to make history. We must be part of this global drive to eliminate mother to child transmission of HIV. I am confident we are up to the task, we can do it and we shall finally succeed, she added.
In his remarks, Chairman, Association of Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria, (ALGON), Kaduna State chapter, Alhaji Mahmoud Aliyu, said the 23 LGAs will work in partnership with the state government to ensure that Mother-To-Child transmission is reduced.