By Kula Tersoo
Makurdi
National Agency for the Control of HIV / AIDS (NACA) in collaboration with Sure-P yesterday commenced four-day free medical services in Benue state.
The agencies have selected two Communities including, Ipav and Mbatyiav all in Gboko local government area of Benue North-west senatorial zone.
The agencies said the programme was targeted at the rural areas, especially women, children and the aged, adding also that the exercise involved free blood pressure, blood sugar checks and free quality drugs including HIV/ AIDS testing and counseling for the rural populace.
Speaking during the flag off of the programme in Akpaher, the team leader, and Programme Coordinator, Dr. Daniel Ndukwe, said the programme was meant to check HIV prevalence rate.
He further disclosed that it also designed to ensure that those infected with disease are thought how to live normal life as assurance that is it not a punishment pointing out that the level of discrimination has been reduce and people were willingly coming out for testing and counseling and commended Sure – P for their support for HIV AIDS awareness .
Representative of the Director General NACA, DR Abel Ehigiator, said NACA with support of Sure-programme is carrying out the free medical treatment in 12 states of the federation with specific target on HIV test and counseling .
Ehigiator noted that the rural masses were mostly affected by the dreaded disease, which calls for combine effort.
The four-day free medical programme is going on in Ipav and Mbatyiav communities in Gboko local government area in Benue state.