UNICEF Partners Nasarawa Govt On Preventing Transmission Of HIV/AIDS

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in partnership with the Nasarawa State Government is working tirelessly to prevent Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

This was disclosed by the UNICEF communication Officer Mr Rabiu Musa, on Wednesday in Keffi while speaking at a one-day meeting for media executives, reporters and producers on PMTCT and transmission to Adolescents and Young Persons (AYP). He said that the meeting would provide knowledge and orientate the participants on PMTCT and HIV/AIDS transmission to AYP for tackling the menace.

“The meeting is also to review and document programmes of the media and other organisations in the state in supporting the dissemination of messages on PMTCT and transmission of HIV/AIDS to AYP.

“We want to leverage airtime and produce links for disseminating PMTCT, AYP/HIV and AIDS messages and assist participating media houses to develop media plans for implementation,’’ Musa said.

He called on media organisations to continue to educate the public on the danger of the scourge, considering its negative effect to societal development.

Musa said that UNICEF was committed to partnering the state and other organisations to tackle the deadly scourge.

“We want to work toward addressing HIV/AIDS in Nasarawa State as the state is one of the growing states in terms of HIV/AIDS,” the UNICEF official said.

Earlier, Alhaji Galadima Soba, Kaduna State Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), urged the participants to use existing programmes for effective dissemination of PMTCT, AYP, HIV and AIDS messages worldwide.

Soba, represented by Hamza Audu, the State Deputy Director, Human Resources and Finance, called for a systematic, effective and improved packaging of the various messages to create awareness of PMTCT, AYP, HIV and AIDS.

“I am optimistic that with the right attitude and inputs from calibre of the participants present we can develop a good media plan for implementation.

“We can also use existing programmes for effective dissemination of PMTCT, AYP/HIV and AIDS messages worldwide,” he said.