Address of Welcome presented at the Launch of the
The Honorable Commissioner of
Heath, Dr. Solomon Enyindah, the vice chancellor of
the University ,Prof.Sc. Achinewhu, the Registrar, Sir,
M.Y. Oguru, the Permanent Secretaries of Ministry of Health as well as Ministry
of Budget and Economic Planning Dr. George Nwolu and Mrs. Dokubo respectively,
Directors here present ,the programme adviser UNFPA, Deans of Faculties and
Heads of Department. Academic and Non Academic Staff of the
University; Students and other Young People of the University Community,
Ladies, and Gentle men.
It is with immense pleasure
that I, on behalf of the vice chancellor and the University HIV/AIDS Awareness Committee
welcome you to the occasion of the launch of the
When the acguied immune
deficiency syndrome was first observed in the last nineteen seventies and early
eighties, as a clinical entity, it was mostly amongst homosexuals and
intravenous drug users. The rest of ‘decent’ humanity could afford to moralize on the plight of
these ‘wretched’ of the earth .it was only a matter of time before the
virus spread to the heterosexual world. As the spread took a wild –fire
dimension, humanity was jolted from its judge mental posture .Agencies of the
United Nations, governments and several Non –Governmental Organizations (NGO’S])
began to take more than a passing interest in
1. HIV/AIDS.
What
you see here today is a collaboration between the United Nations population Fund
(UNFPA),the Rivers state Government represented by the ministry of health , and
the University, when the UNFPA, through its Rivers state programmer Adviser,
approach us with the idea of the Youth Friendly center (YUCCA), it coincided
with the time the former governing council of the University was eager to
develop an HIV/AIDS policy for the Institution .the vice Chancellor was
therefore well dispose to the idea and gave
all the financial and moral encouragement needed for the university to
fulfill her own part of the bargain which was mostly provision of infrastructure and staffing .I thank him for
this .the UNFPA and the Ministry of health trained the relevant staff,
councilors and laboratory scientist, in Lagos , as well as peer educators and
even HIV/AIDS Awareness committee members. They provided the materials and
gadgets that make this place a recreation center as well as a voluntary testing
and counseling, (VCT) center. We are grateful to them.
Let
me confess that we have done a test run of this facility before this lunch. I
was personally amazed at the response we got from the student of the university.
I did not know that young people could be so eager to know their HIV status.
They came in their scores every day and the meaner staff we currently have was overwhelmed.
when we stopped because of shortage of
materials they cried foul .they are
already aware ,sensitized and motivated .what we do today is may well be a
formality. It is gratifying to know that
similar efforts country- wide as we are all making today are yielding results in reduced
HIV prevalence in our country .the nation is currently posting a prevalence
rate of 4.4 percent, down from close to 6 percent only a few years ago so ,we
must not relent. This project must not die.
As
we launch this center today, we do so with only two staff – a nurse counselor
and a laboratory scientist, where there should be at least six, including
cleaners and attendant’s .we also appeal for prompt replenishment of necessary
consumables. May we also suggest that the machine for doing CD4 count be
procured for the medical Lab. Sciences Department of this University this will
serve for the teaching of future laboratory scientists as well as helping us in
this programme It is my submission that the battle against HIV AIDS would not
have come full steam until the ability to CD4 count & procure
antiretroviral drugs has become common place. Thanks you for listening &
once again welcome.
Dr. A I Nwachukwu