Kwara trains corps members as HIV/AIDS peer educators

Kwara state government has embarked on training of NYSC Batch “C” (Stream 1) corps members recently deployed to the state as peer educators,  counsellors and testers on HIV/AIDS.

In a press statement by the Press Secretary, Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Dr. Sangodare Ayinla, the Ministry’s HIV/AIDS Desk Officer, Mr. Adewumi Adekunle James, said that the training and induction of the corps members to the Anti-HIV/AIDS Vanguard is to respond to the increased demand for awareness  on the spread of the infection.

Speaking at a four-day programme held at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Yikpata in Edu local government  area of the state, the desk officer said that the corps members would in turn form Anti-HIV/AIDs Community Development Service groups after their orientation at their various LGAs of primary place of assignment in order to fight the infection via counselling and sensitisation in order to prevent new infection among different  categories of people in society.

He also said that the state government will collaborate with NYSC management to demand services of the corps members at any time.

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Mr James, who was one of the facilitators, explained that the readiness of the corps members to volunteer themselves for the service was indicative of their commitment to serving the nation insincerity.

While commending the efforts of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in his resolve to duly support the NYSC Programme in all ramifications it demands, the desk officer thanked the Kwara State Aids Control Agency for its unflagging support.

The 4-Day training programme,  which was co-organised by Fulfilling Dreams Foundation, included general sensitisation and lectures on Adolescent  Reproductive Health, Monitoring and Evaluation Tools and HIV Testing and Counselling by Fulfilling  Dreams Foundation Programme Officers, Mr Diamond Akorede and Mr Maruf Jimoh.

The programme, which began on the 8th of November, 2019, came to an end on the 11th of November, 2019 with HTC programming where about 250 camp users were given opportunity to be tested and counselled free of charge in order to know their status to fight the menace to zero levels and to prevent new infections.