By Chris Mbunwe
Northwest Governor, Koumpa Issa, Monday, April 23, handed keys of a new mobile van to the Provincial Technical Group, PTG, in charge of fighting the HIV/AIDS spread throughout the Province.
The Northwest, according to reports, currently tops the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Cameroon.Governor Koumpa urged the Provincial Coordinator for the fight against HIV/AIDS Dr. Mrs. Magdalene Mayer, to ensure that the vehicle is used for the purpose of creating awareness and voluntary testing.
He said the new land cruiser will take the provincial team to the hinterlands where infected persons are not aware of their status.
Speaking during the ceremony, Dr. Victor Ndiforchu said the new van comes just at the time the US and Cameroon governments made available FCFA 44 million for Northwest Fons to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS by sensitising their populations and ease treatment of infected persons.
"The Fund for the Fons to fully engage themselves in the fight against the pandemic are now available and we are putting in place an operational plan to ensure success," Dr. Ndiforchu said.
He expressed the wish to see the high prevalence rate of 8.5 percent (2004 statistics) drop because; the entry point of having free treatment is by "knowing your HIV/AIDS status".
For her part, Northwest Provincial Coordinator, PTG, Dr. Mrs. Magdalene Mayer, unveiled the programme to cover all the seven Divisions of the Northwest starting with free screening at Bamendankwe village in Bamenda.
Apart from the schedule for the provincial tour, Dr. Mayer said villages and those in remote areas can still make a special free request for the mobile HIV testing van to get to them wherever they find themselves - including Fru-Awa.
The PTG Coordinator said the team will ensure that those tested positive are being monitored closely, so that they benefit from free treatment to start in May.
Dr. Mayer was, however, disappointed that, of the 28.000 HIV infected persons in the Northwest who are supposed to have been receiving treatment, only 5.000 show up for treatment. She admonished technicians in the field to give their best during this period.
A mobile van or a mobile hospital?The single van?,will cover entire "North West" province to do screening of HIV/AIDS etc?This is the best the alien seneschal could offer.A mobile van.And you have some holders of PHD singing praises?A van for the province in return after siphoning tax funds to the metropole.Do people need health and better equiped facilities with easy access where,they could go for consultation or calling the van to travel all the way from B'da through the bumpy road to Fru-Awa?
Posted by: Ndiks | Monday, 30 April 2007 at 08:08 AM