From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in collaboration with its development partners has organised a 2-day programme to commemorate the 2020 World Aids Day with the theme ” Resilience”, geared to sensitize, educate, and conduct free HIV test among its staff.
Speaking at the event, yesterday, in Abuja, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite disclosed that the World AIDS day is a globally set aside date to promote awareness of the disease and to promote healthy living in the Minerals and Steel Steel sector.
“The World AIDS day celebration is a reflection of what have been achieved, with regards to national global response to HIV and what needs to be achieved . It is also an important opportunity to celebrate and support global effort to prevent new HIV infection”.
The Minister, who spoke through the Director, Human Resources , Mohammed Suleiman reiterated that Ministry of Mines and Steel Development had set up a Ministerial HIV Committee AIDS in 2010 to anchor and promote healthy living among Nigerians and the world at large. He noted that ” this year programme of the committee includes sensitization, enlightenment campaign and HIV testing of the staff of the Ministry and its agencies”.
Adegbite however enjoined the staff to take advantage of the opportunity. and imbibe the lesson of the event.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director, Defence Headquarters Medical Centre, Mogadusu Cantonment, Dr. Philip Lenka stated that World AIDS Day started in 1988 aimed at showing support for those living with HIV and AIDS and also to identify with those who lost their loved ones to the dreaded scourge of AIDS and its related illnesses, while urging Ministry’s Staff and other stakeholders in the programme to have it at the back of their minds that HIV and AIDS is real.
