…… Donates free HIV kits to school in Lagos
By Thompson ABISOLA
Total Upstream Nigeria Ltd. on Thursday reiterated its commitment toward sustainable awareness campaign on HIV/AIDS among adolescents in secondary schools across the country.
Mr Nicolas Terraz, the Managing Director, Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria, gave the assurance at the official launch of the school-based project on HIV/AIDS awareness campaign for secondary school in Lagos.
Terraz was represented by Dr Charles Ngeribara, the General Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development.
Total provided HIV tool kits for five schools- Oshodi Comprehensive School, Bolade Senior High School, Oshodi Senior High School, Ikeja Grammar School and Unity Senior High School.
The tool kits were to be used as reference materials to educate others.
Terraz said that the essence of the programme was to sanitise adolescents in every secondary school in Lagos on the need to be more cautious of the HIV/AIDS menace.
He said that Dec. 1 of every year is marked globally as the World AIDS Day, hence, “the date for this campaign could not have been better chosen”.
Theme for the 2018 World AIDS Day is: “Know Your Status”.
According to Terraz, Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria connect to this by bringing this awareness campaign to your schools this year.
“We encourage voluntary HIV counselling and testing for all Nigerians and non-Nigerians living in Nigeria to ensure that everyone knows his or her status.
“We also believe that students of your age need to be aware of the disease.
“Because, we believe that with knowledge comes the ability to take informed decisions to protect yourselves, your families and your communities against HIV/AIDS.
“Over the years, HIV/AIDS has been more than a major global health crisis.
“But the HIV/AIDS has also become a real development challenge, especially for developing nations where young people, who are the most productive segment of the population, remain at risk.
“ It is quite disturbing that up till now, prevalence rate remains high due to the negligence and ignorance of the public,’’ he said.
The managing director said that Total, as a company, makes effort to identify with its host communities and with Nigeria as a whole.
He said that the gesture was not only to give back to the society in fulfillment of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility obligations, but to support its believe that when Nigeria prospers, Total prospers too.
“To reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS we join the United Nations and the World Health Organisation as part of a broad-based coalition that is leading the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“It is for this reason that Total extends its annual HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign to Secondary Schools.
“Youths are mainly vulnerable to HIV infection, especially where they are ignorant and engage in risky behaviours such as drug abuse, cult activities, blood rituals, sexual exposures whether by informed choices or rape.
“According to the WHO, prevention is not only better than cure, but cheaper and prevents complications.
“Total agrees with the WHO and believes that youths have a great role to play in heightening awareness and the prevention of this pandemic,” he said.
Terraz said that his companies in Nigeria and its partners would continue to collaborate with the government at all levels, non-governmental organisations and the private sector to educate the public on the preventive measures to mitigate the spread of HIV.
In his remarks, Mr Roland Ewubare, the Group General Manger, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NIPIMS), expressed commitment toward supporting effective and rewarding HIV/AIDS awareness campaign.
Ewubare commended Total and its partners on effective partnering with the Lagos State Government and other stakeholders in creating awareness among secondary school students on HIV/AIDS.
According to him, NNPC/Total’ s decision to carry out the campaign on HIV/AIDS in secondary school is in line with our company’s goal to give back to the society.
“Over time, NNPC along with its joint ventures has implemented various projects in the area of education such as building of classrooms, laboratories blocks, books, scholarship and quiz competitions.
“Skill acquisition, economic empowerment, health care, water and sanitation, solar power and other infrastructural intervention.
“HIV/AIDS is a scourge which its prevalence shows no sign of abating.
“The most effective form of prevention is awareness. In view of this, it has became imperative for us to focus on its education as a tool to spread the awareness,” he said.
Also, Mr Gbenga Alabi, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (Nibucaa), said it becomes imperative to engage and support adolescents to creating effective awareness on HIV/AIDS as the future of the country.
Alabi said that the programme would develop assertiveness and life building skill, particularly in the girl-child.
He said that the non-governmental organisation was planning to establish Anti-AIDS Clubs in secondary schools for effective participation, coverage and sustainability.
Commenting, Dr Oluseyi Tenowo, the Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State AIDS Control Agency, said that the agency was working toward ensuring that HIV/AIDS awareness could be included in the school’s curriculum.
Tenowo, represented by Dr Olaosebikan Folasade, however, expressed their readiness to partner with the corporate organisation in creating more awareness towards eradicating HIV/AIDS in the state.
“We are also supporting organisation toward enlightenment campaign and providing materials to sensitising the teeming youths in all the schools.
“We realised that lots of our adolescents and youths are ignorance of the scourge,” Tenowo said.
