Bauchi — The Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA) has carried out a community based health outreach in communities across the state. Speaking at the opening of the outreach which started at Gwallameji community in Bauchi, BACATMA Permanent Secretary, Dr. Suleman Manga said that the programme had given the rural populace opportunity to know their health status.
"The multi-disease approach is a new concept through which many people will be reached. People were examined on Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, Malaria and Hepatitis C in addition to HIV," he said. The Permanent Secretary who was represented by the BACATMA Director of Administration, Dr. Adamu Aliyu added that free drugs were given to people. He noted that Bauchi state had been at the forefront of the fight against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria as well as Reproductive Health. Mr. Kenneth Alau, a representative of NACA Director General, Professor John Idoko, lamented the decline of funding for the fight against HIV/AIDS, saying some of the donors were not meeting their obligations. The District Head of Birshi, Alhaji Muhammad Lawal Ahmed expressed gratitude to Bauchi State government for according priority to health sector. The outreach was carried out for four days in many communities throughout the state.