Ahmed Tahir Ajobe
24 July 2008
Lafia — The first lady, Hajiya Turai Yar,adua on Monday launched the first zonal chapter of her pet project, National Women Coalition on HIV/AIDS (NAWOCA) in Lafia, Nasarawa State for the north central zone with a call on Nigerians to unite against HIV/AIDS.
Hajiya Turai who arrived the state capital, Lafia, in company of her Nigerien counterpart, Madame Laraba Tandja, said all hands must be on deck in the fight against the scourge.
She noted that governments alone could not fight the spread of the scourge but with the cooperation of individuals and corporate bodies, particularly in sensitization campaigns, the spread would be brought under control.
The first lady implored governments at all levels to step up efforts in the improvement of girl-child education so as to create more awareness among women on the devastation of the disease.
Also in his address, Governor Aliyu Doma informed the visitors that his administration would continue to invest more in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS, saying already, the state action committee on HIV/AIDS, had been up-graded to the status of an agency and given more powers and financial autonomy. The wife of the governor, Hajiya Raliya Doma commended the efforts of the first lady in her drive to saving the nation's youths. She said it was in realization of the first lady's efforts that her office established the Taimako Screening Centre for Breast and Cervix in Lafia to offer treatment free of charge for those with such infections.
Also in his address, the director-general of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) Prof. Babatunde Oshotimehin said the choice of the state for the kick off of the zonal launch was because the zone has the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the country.
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