Abuja — The United States Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) has visited Nigeria to assess the activities of the Ministry of Defence and the United States Department of Defence (NMOD/US DOD) HIV Partnership Programme.

Col. Donald Heppnar, leader of the technical partners and deputy commander, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, told the minister of state for defence, Mrs. Fidelia Akuabata Njeze, that they were in Nigeria on a visit to assess the activities of the NMOD-USDOD HIV programme.

"We are also here to continue with the successful treatment of HIV with the strong commitment of the honourable minister of state to reduce the stigma associated with people living with HIV," he said.

He commended the efforts of the NMOD-USDOD HIV programme partnership because it is effective.

Col. Heppner was accompanied by Col. Nelson Michael of the division retrovirology; Dr. Robert Gramzinski, chief of operation; and Lt. Col. Merlin Robb (rtd).

The minister of state for defence, Mrs. Fidelia Akuabata Njeze, described the partnership between the Nigeria's Ministry of Defence and the United States Department of Defence on HIV programme as a collaborative relationship that is paying for the country.

The minister said the prgoramme, which started in 2005 with four pioneer sites, currently has 14 functional sites, while more expansion sites will be established.

"Although theMinistry of Defence and its American counterpart's HIV programme is a military-to-military colla-boration on military HIV prevention, it is also accessible to the entire Ngierian people," she said, adding, "85 per cent of clients seen at various sites are civilians."

The ministry has also, through this initiative, trained some medical doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other categories of medical staff abroad which has boosted the fight to reduce HIV not only in the military but the nation at large.

Plans are in the offing, through the NMOD-USDOD, to set up research laboratory sites at the Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, and 45 Nigeria Air Force hospital, Makurdi in Benue State.