Society for Family Health (SFH) today flagged off the distribution of palliatives to People living with HIV/AIDS in eight LGAs of Taraba State under the “Lafiyan Yara Project funded by Aidfonds.
The items which includes Milk, personal protective equipment, PPEs and cash, is aimed at boosting the nutritional needs of children living with HIV/AIDS, Others includes PPEs for support to the health facilities,while the cash is to support the transportation needs of pregnant Women to access health care facilities.
Declaring the exercise open, Director-General, Taraba State Agency for the Control of AIDS (TACA) Dr. Garba Danjuma said the objectives of the project which is aimed at identifying, testing and referrals of HIV/AIDS clients in eight local government focused areas is timely and aligns with the mandate of TACA and rescue agenda of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku in the health sector.
Danjuma, called on the beneficiaries to make the best use of the items and look forward to other partners keying into other areas of HIV/AIDS intervention in the state.
The State team leader of the LAFIYAN YARA Project of the SFH, Ahmed Yusuf who explained that the project is funded by AidsFonds in Collaboration with Institute of Public Health of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Taraba State Government and implemented by Society for Family Health started in October 2019 has so far tested two hundred and twenty eight thousand, eight hundred and forty one (228,841) persons out of which fifty nine thousand, eight hundred and five are women while one hundred and sixty nine thousand, thirty six are children .
This figures he added, represents those counselled, tested and referred at various Primary Health Care Centers and Hospitals in the LGAs where the project operates in the state.
Ahmed added that the project which is expected to test one hundred and twelve thousand five hundred pregnant women and three hundred thousand children in eight Local Government Areas which are Jalingo, Zing,Wukari, Bali, Gashaka, Gassol, Sardauna and Karim-Lamido in Taraba State will last for three years called on the beneficiaries of the project to ensure strict compliance and usage of the items distributed, this he said would go a long way in justifying the goals of the project.