A mobile telecommunications infrastructure provider in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, IHS Towers has donated 75,300 tests of HIV rapid test kits valued at $71,000 to support USAID’s activities to eradicate HIV and AIDS in Kebbi State.
The IHS Director, Sustainability and Corporate Communications, Coma Sholotan, while handing over the kits Kebbi government through USAID in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday the gesture is born out of a passion to support the fight against HIV/AIDs.
“We always ensure that we support our partners, collaborate and give back to our host communities or operating environments.
“Our approach to social intervention involves credible partnership, like the one we have with USAID, which had been in existence for over three years now,” NAN quoted her.
Sholotan added that the HIS made a similar donation of 70,000 test kits to Bayelsa State in 2020, saying it was the first state to benefit from public/private partnership with respect to HIV/AIDS commodities.
“The kits are deployed to communities with a strategic and data-given manner.
“The focus is on pregnant women, most of whom are at risk from the population in the state,” she said.
Receiving the items, the USAID/Nigeria Deputy Director HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis Office, Omosalewa Oyelaran, said the gesture was part of efforts to encourage private sector participation in Nigeria’s health sector.
She said that the event, “is a culmination of the partnership with IHS Towers in line with a strategic approach that aims to build the country’s capacities to be more self-sustaining and encourage local solutions to address Nigeria’s problems.”
Oyelaran said that the United States Government, through USAID, provided lifesaving antiretroviral medicines to 691,000 Nigerians living with HIV/AIDS.
“In Kebbi State, USAID through the Accelerating Control of the HIV Epidemic in Nigeria Project provides antiretroviral medicines to more than 16,400 adults and over 640 children.
“The contribution from IHS Towers will strengthen ongoing efforts by the United States Government in Kebbi State to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
“The test kits will support the prevention of mother-to-child transmission services within antenatal clinics and provide critical HIV testing services to numerous young children and others who are at risk,” Oyelaran.
“With over 1.9 million people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, the country remains a significant contributor to the global HIV pandemic.
“The state is not immune to the disease as it has 23,834 people who are living with HIV/AIDS.
She expressed appreciation to the company for the gesture, which she said would benefit many in the state.
On the Kebbi government's part, the Deputy Governor, Sama’ila Yombe-Dabai, who appreciated the donation, said that it would help the state to manage the transmission from mother-to-child thereby reducing the HIV/AIDS incidents in the state.
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