HIV/AIDS: Over 5,000 Persons Benefit From Ondo Medical Service

OVER 5,000 residents of Ondo State have so far benefited from the free medical outreach put in place by the Ondo State government with the support of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The exercise, which is taking place at the Democracy Park and NEPA Car Park, in Akure, is expected to round off tomorrow Sunday. The four-day programme designed to ensure majority of the residents’ access free medical assistance kicked off on Thursday, the 28th.

Addressing participants at the designated centres yesterday, the Secretary to the State Government and Chairman, Ondo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (ODSACA), Dr. Aderotimi Adelola, appreciated the government for providing such service to enable the populace know their health status, while noting that it improves the health indices of the state government by taking health services to locations where it can be easily accessible by the people.

Adelola said the programme, which is targeted at 5000 residence of the state, includes easy and free access to medical personnel, blood sugar test, blood pressure, and malaria test, among others. He urged the people to troop out en masse and inform others to take advantage of the programme.

The Secretary to the State Government, described Ondo State as leader in the area of good governance, providing qualitative service and care, among others, stressing that the government will continue to prioritize health issues and demonstrate the political will and commitment to reducing infant health mortality through numerous health programmes, upgrading health facilities, and increase access to treatment, care, support services to people infected or affected by any virus.

He said the government will continue to control the spread of HIV and mitigate the impact on the public by scaling up different thematic areas in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Speaking at the event, the representative of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr. (Mrs.) Uduak Daniel, said evidence shows that Ondo State HIV prevalence is at the minimum and therefore urged residence to maintain the status by keeping to the HIV prevention intervention mechanism, maintaining good health status for their benefits and the generations unborn.
She equally appealed to the people to take advantage of the free medical consultation, prescription and pharmaceutical service to enhance healthy living, while incentives are also provided for participants.

Similarly, the Programme Officer, Mr. Chukwuma Chukwuemeka, described Ondo State Agency for the Control of AIDS as well equipped among its contemporaries, while appreciating the government for providing enabling environment and needed logistics that ensure its citizens benefit from the free medical outreach.

He said the programme is for people irrespective of age bracket or health status.Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Giwa Ibrahim and Mrs. Bose Agunloye, expressed happiness about the programme and urged the people to benefit, stressing that it will improve their health status.