The United States in collaboration with Nigeria has launched a new activity designed to protect children and their households made up of vulnerable or orphaned by HIV and AIDS in Nigeria.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Office Director for HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, Helina Meri, on Wednesday, joined Lagos State First Lady Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, for the launch in Lagos. Similar activity had earlier been launched in Adamawa and Bauchi states.
Ait.live was informed that the four activities under the five-year, $64 million Integrated Child Health and Social Services Award (ICHSSA), will work to protect more than 450,000 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in10 states.
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In Lagos, ICHSSA Region 2 (ICHSSA 2) will provide services to children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS, as well as protect young people who are at high risk of acquiring HIV.
ICHSSA 2, will also help young people to protect themselves from gender-based violence and engage community members, to reduce HIV-related stigma and harmful cultural practices that endanger children.
Over the next five years, the Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) will implement ICHSSA 2 in concert with other indigenous non-governmental and governmental organizations in Lagos and Edo states, to provide HIV prevention, treatment, protection, care, and support services to more than 105,000 vulnerable children and their caregivers.
Local community-based organizations are also key stakeholders in the activity and will receive capacity building to deliver high-quality services directly, to beneficiary households.
In addition Trained community caseworkers, will focus on strengthening families, communities, government systems, and civic institutions, that care for HIV-infected, affected.
Edited by Tunde Orebiyi
