UNICEF increases Benue support funds to N175m

THE United Nations International Children’s Emergency  Fund (UNICEF) country team leader, Dr Dorothy Ngacha, has said that the UN body has increased its donation to Benue State to about N175million.

Dr Ngacha disclosed this in Makurdi when she paid a courtesy visit on the wife of Benue State governor, Dr Eunice Ortom.

The country team leader of the UN body explained that Mrs Ortom’s HIV initiative was one of the major reasons for the rise in the UN body assistance to the state.

She said that upon her assumption of office as UNICEF champion for adolescent HIV and the attendance of HIV/AIDS conference, in Durban, South Africa on UNICEF invitation, Mrs Ortom had demonstrated commitment towards adolescent HIV prevention and mother to child transmission.

“The presentation has led to increased knowledge sharing and adoption among multinational HIV events on the scourge”.

Dr Ngacha said that the UN body viewed Mrs Ortom strategic roadmap to confront HIV as excellent and receiving positive mention.

Elated by this, Mrs Ortom expressed satisfaction that her modest contribution towards combating  HIV scourge had been recognised by the UN body.

She, however, pledged her continuous support in the advocacy to reduce the scourge in the state and beyond, in justification the confidence reposed in her as UNICEF champion.

Mrs Ortom also pledged the cooperation of her pet project, Eunice Spring of Life Foundation, to partner with private and public sectors  to collaborate with UNICEF in the fight against the deadly disease.