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HIV/AIDS: Dame Amaechi Seeks Door-To-Door Campiagn
Wife of the Rivers State Governor and Founder of the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI),Dame Judith Amaechi, has advocated for a door-to-door campaign to compel women in the rural areas to visit health centres during their pre-natal and post- natal stages of child birth.
Making the call at the 2011 World HIV/AIDS celebration tagged,” Zero New HIV/AIDS Infection: Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission (EMTCT,)” at Ngo Town, headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area yesterday also solicited for the support of non-governmental organisations, menfolk and religious bodies to fight the scourge.
In her words,” door-to-door campaign is the single action we must take. This is the way we can stop this virus”
Mrs Amaechi lamented that the womenfolk were the worst affected because of their child bearing status, stating that nearly 50percent of preganat women do not go for ante-natal care, while about 30 percent of those who attend deliver at the hospitals.
Considering this scenario, she insisted that all cultural practices that hinders women to visit medical centres should be eliminated, especially now that the State Government had provided free medical care.
In addition, she remarked that health personnel at the hospitals should also change their attitude towards patients by being empathetic and humane in their approach so as to encourage the citizenry in using the facilities.
She pledged her full support to the campaign maintainig that,”this is a cause we must pursue and we must win it with God helping us”.
On his part, Commissioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker described the campaign as a giant step against HIV/AIDS, “Now we are saying we can eliminate HIV and we are starting in Nigeria with the elimination of Mother-to- Child Transmission of HIV virus”, he said.
Dr Parker who stated that the state was succeeding on its fight against the scourge explained the EMTCT had become important because of the threat to families. He maintained that once the virus infects a pregnant mother without medical attention, it will run through the family line and unleash havoc.
The Commissioner further declared,” the one of Mother-to-Child is biological but if we stop it, is a giant step in eliminating HIV/AIDS”.
He therefore urged pregnant mothers to always go for ante-natal checks, ensure their blood is screened and avoid casual sex.
Speaking earliier, Chairman of Andoni Local Government Area, Hon Orom Nte-Ereforokuma pledged ro intensify the campaign in the area.
The Andoni Local Government boss explained that since most of the rural women hardly visit medical centres during pregnancy, the council would provide incentives to encourage them to do so.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.