The 2017 two-week long HIV/Tuberculosis Awareness and Preventive Education Project has just been concluded in Anambra State. It is a Health Synergy of the TOTAL Group in Nigeria
(TOTAL Nigeria Plc and TOTAL Upstream Companies in Nigeria), supported by NAPIMS and the OML 130 PSA Partners – Sapetro, CNOOC, Petrobas.
The Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (NIBUCAA) was the Technical Partner. Tagged the ‘Drive-On Project’, it leverages on the 500+ Service Stations of TOTAL Downstream nationwide for more reach and impact as Customers ‘Drive-On’ through these Service Stations. The Project, which commenced in 2006, has been taken to twenty-one States in Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory, using the National HIV Prevalence Rate by State as a yardstick for location selection.
In the Joint Keynote Address by the two MDs, Mr. Nicolas TERRAZ (Upstream) and Mr. Jean PHILLIPE-TORRES (Downstream) at the Project Launch delivered by the ED, Strategy, Downstream, Prince Jeff NNAMANI, it was stated that the 2016 UNAIDS report highlights that 36.7million people globally are living with HIV, a staggering 70% of this global figure are in Africa, where less than 29% of the population know their HIV Status.
Therefore, encouraging Voluntary HIV Testing Services (HTS) among the Nigerian population to ensure everyone knows their sero-status is key to any informed Strategic Plan to arrive at zero new infections. HIV/AIDS is a global challenge of our lifetime but we remain committed to fighting the virus to finish. HIV HTS is also crucial, especially for pregnant women where prevention of mother-to-child transmission will protect the unborn child and help achieve an HIV-Free generation in the near future.
TOTAL has a robust Workplace HIV/AIDS Policy with the main focus on confidentiality, zero discrimination, zero stigmatization and full treatment support.
Deliverables achieved during this year’s Project are: Four-day training of 25 TOTAL Service Station Attendants (drawn from six Towns in the State as Peer Educators, who are in turn, mandated to continue as Preventive Education Ambassadors, Mass distribution of Educative Leaflets and Posters, Two weeks free HIV HTS to members of the public in five Towns; Awka, Ekwulobia, Ihiala, Nnewi and Onitsha (six HTS Points per Town), in collaboration with the State Agency for Control of AIDS (SACA), especially on trained Counselors and Testers. This 2017 New Project Strategy was to achieve more reach and impact, 12,116 Persons (Males-6257, Females-5859) benefited from the free HTS far above the Project Target Reach of 10,000 Persons.
Others are: the 64 seropositive Persons (Males-30, Females-34) were directed to Reference Hospitals in their vicinities for further assessment and treatment and the Project Launch on the 25th was held at the Total Service Station Oguta Road, Onitsha where most of the expected Stakeholders; State /Local Government Functionaries, Several Associations/Groups (Market, Transport, NYSC, Schools, etc, NAPIMS, TOTAL Upstream/ Downstream Representatives and NIBUCAA were all in attendance.
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Notably, the Representatives from the Anambra State Government are; Dr. Anaeme representing the Anambra State Commissioner for Health Dr. Joe Akabuike, Permanent Secretary Anambra State Ministry of Youths and Sports Development Mr. Linus Nwankwo, representing the State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Mrs. Elsie Oputa representing the Secretary to the Anambra State Government, State Commissioner for women affairs Dr. Victoria Chikwelu represented by Dr. Vincent Asalu, The Onitsha North LGA chairman Hon. Patrick Ayadinuno was represented by his deputy Mr. Cyprain Onyejekwe. The Anambra State Health Management Board was represented by Dr. Ndibe; Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe (Dr Mrs OKEKE). NAPIMS (Ms Mena OGOR), TOTAL Upstream (Dr Charles NGERIBARA-GM CSR/SD, Mrs Bolanle ADESANYA-CSR Health Officer). TOTAL Downstream (Prince Jeff NNAMANI-ED Strategy, Mrs Adesua ADEWOLE-GM-Sales and Marketing, Mr Albert MABUYAKU-Corporate Affairs Manager, Mrs Chinwe IFECHIGHA-CSR Manager, Mr Alex CHUKWU-PHC Sales Manager and Mr Patrick AKANDE-Benin Sales Manager. NIBUCAA’s (Mr Gbenga ALABI).
