In a bid to curb the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in Africa, the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and World Bank have joined forces to eliminate the disease.
The sensitisation programme, tagged: ''Getting to Zero", which held recently at the Tin Can Island Port complex during the Worlds AIDS Day, was attended by port users including truck drivers, freight forwarders, food vendors, and truck owners.
The Committee Chairperson, Dr. Comfort Datong reiterated that it was important for stakeholders to know their HIV/AIDS status adding that everyone is prone to the dreaded disease.
She noted that is borne out of the fact that "we do not want to hear of any cases of HIV/AIDS again. We want no more discrimination by operators in the maritime sector and we do not want to record cases of death anymore."
Datong explained that the programme was put together to reduce obstacles to trade and transport at the port pointing out that the free HIV/AIDS test for operators in the maritime industry will create an enabling environment for healthier hitch free sector.
"If people get to know their status, they will be referred to the various centres where they will be taken care off. They will be given free medication that will help them to live long, if they have such infection and they will live normal and healthy life”, she said. She pointed out that apart from the free test carried out for stakeholders, male and female condoms were distributed to those who were in attendance, as part of measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
She also said that the World Bank was also part of the programme through the NGO to sensitise maritime operators on the dreaded virus and the NPA collaborated the ALCO in staging the campaign against AIDS.
“Knowing your HIV status is the first step in preventing the spread of the virus. We are here to encourage port users to know their HIV status and to educate on the proper use of condoms.
“We hope to see a percentage increase in the number of truck drivers that know their HIV status and proper use of condoms by the end of 2015, she said.
The committee was drawn from the medical, security health, safety and the in house union departments of NPA.
The campaign, organised by NPA is a quarterly based programme to check maritime health status in the sector.
By: Chinazor Megbolu
This Day News
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