The Anambra State AIDS Control Agency has revealed that the state is the fifth highest in Nigeria in terms of HIV transmission among people between 15 to 49 years.
The Executive Director of the agency, Mr. Johnbosco Ementa, stated this during a two-day stakeholders meeting organised by the body in Awka.
Ementa said that the forum was organised for various stakeholders to brainstorm on how best to scale up the campaign to eliminate HIV transmission in the state.
He pointed out that the meeting was an opportunity to interact, share knowledge, and highlight challenges facing the state in terms of HIV transmission, to address them.
He lamented the situation saying that the agency was working tirelessly with stakeholders to mitigate the impact.
He said, “It is unfortunate to note that Anambra is the fifth highest in Nigeria in terms of HIV transmission among people aged 15 to 49 years.
“The agency is working tirelessly to ensure its reduction or elimination by promoting behavioural change in both low and high population, increase awareness and sensitisation among the general population.
“We are also working with targeted stakeholders, to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS in the state.
“Let me also inform you that plans are underway to domesticate the 2014 HIV Anti Stigma Bill in Anambra State.”
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, on his part, called for more efforts to reduce HIV transmission in the state.
Obidike, who was represented by the Director, Public Health, Dr. Afam Anaeme, said that HIV prevention is a task that should be accomplished and sustained in the state.
“The pattern of transmission of the disease has made prevention a bit difficult in the state but Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration is determined to give residents quality healthcare service delivery.
“I urge the agency to do more to ensure that the transmission of HIV is drastically reduced in the state,” he said.
Stakeholders in the country made this known during the pre-conference meeting on the Global Fund’s seventh replenishment with the theme ‘Nigeria’s call to fight what counts’ held in Abuja on Thursday.
According to them, the fund is needed to change the trajectories of mortality and incidence toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 3 target of ending AIDS, TB, and malaria as epidemics by 2030.
LN247 reports that the United States of America will host the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment Conference on September 19, 2022, in New York City with a target of raising $18 billion targeted at saving 20 million lives globally from the impacts of HIV, TB, and malaria.
Speaking at the meeting, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire said Nigeria aligns with Global Fund’s target to raise at least $18 billion for the 2023-2025 funding cycle to save 20 million lives and to reduce the mortality of HIV, TB, and malaria by 65 percent.
Dr. Ehanire, who was represented by the Minister of State for Health, Joseph Ekumankama said the fund will help get the world back on track toward ending HIV, TB, and malaria, especially for the most affected countries.
“Nigeria also remains committed to its contribution to the Fund. The investment case shows a gap of 20 percent or $28.4 billion. The Government of Nigeria recognises the necessity of progressive increment in our domestic financing for health, without which the goal of the investment case and 2030 health goals would be a mirage.”
He said the President Muhammadu Buhari approved the National Health Insurance Authority Act, which provides for multiple and innovative strategies for raising revenue for health.
“This Act provides the legal framework for achieving universal health coverage in a sustainable manner using domestic resources. It will also cater for the vulnerable, ensuring no one is left behind. We are committed to fulfilling our obligations to the citizens by progressively investing in their health, education, and overall welfare.
“I seize this opportunity to solicit the commitment of all donor countries to increase funds available to the Global Fund through the 7th Replenishment Conference. The stakes are high. $18 billion is ambitious, yet this is the minimum funding that is required if the world is to make a difference in the fight against HIV, TB, and malaria.”
Also speaking, the Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr. Gambo Aliyu, said over $3.8 billion has been mobilised and invested in Nigeria through the Global Fund.
He said “For this replenishment, we are looking to meeting the target in addition to what we have done for the last three years and we want to increase the target. Globally the target is aimed to be increased from $14 billion to $18 billion.
“Nigeria has contributed in the last replenishment with about $12 million and this time around we are hoping to see where we can go, whether we can match up to that or we can increase in addition to what we have done.
“We want to make sure that what we have started in the last three years continues. We reaffirm the government commitment with value for the resources of the investment made available.”
On his part, the Charge d’affaires, Embassy of the USA, David Greene, said despite insecurity, COVID-19, and a declining economic situation, HIV epidemic control, and an AIDS-Free generation is a reality for Nigeria because of access to HIV treatment services in the country.
Greene said “Our key partnerships with national and state governments, the Global Fund, and UNAIDS were instrumental in determining what systems and strategies were needed to gain traction and outpace HIV. Our programs are also anchored by data from Nigeria’s HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey to guide implementation decisions and laser-focus efforts in areas with high unmet needs.
“Another key to this story is the national alignment which in 2019, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the Global Fund, and the Government of Nigeria developed an alignment strategy focused on leveraging our comparative strengths and resources to deliver patient-centered HIV services in communities. By aligning technical and financial resources behind a single national program, we embarked on a surge effort to intensify case-finding, and rapidly expand access to antiretroviral treatment. The number of HIV-positive individuals identified and initiated on treatment during the surge doubled, even though it was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no other country or HIV program in the world that can claim this unparalleled achievement.
“Today, over 1.8 million Nigerians with HIV are thriving and living productive lives because they are accessing lifesaving treatment. Our national alignment model is a best practice other countries are not only learning from but also adopting.
“Nonetheless, sustaining this success depends upon contributions to the Global Fund and all of us standing in solidarity to fight for what counts. We are close to the finish line, but with Nigeria still accounting for one out of seven children born globally with HIV, the race is not yet over.”
Nigeria return to Morocco to begin the task of rebuilding the country’s stature in women’s football as the country’s flag-bearers, Bayelsa Queens are handed tricky fixtures.
They are drawn in Group B alongside defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.
Of late, Nigerian women’s teams have found the South Africans hard nuts to crack.
Joining the duo in Group B are Egypt’s Wadi Degla and the representatives from UNIFFAC – Central African Football Federation Union.
The Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies team is the female wing of the team owned by CAF president, Patrice Motsepe.
In Group A are the hosts, ASFAR whose male team are drawn to host Nigeria’s Remo Stars in Rabat this Sunday.
They were third place finishers at the inaugural edition last year in Egypt.
Others in the group include Tanzania’s Simba Queens, Zambia’s Green Buffaloes and Liberia’s Determine Girls.
The CAF Women’s Champions League is scheduled to take place from 30 October to 13 November 2022 in Morocco.
There are five clubs who will be making debut as the new season of the CAF Champions League kicks off this Friday.
The season begins with the first preliminary round matches being played across the continent.
Burkina Faso’s Rail Club de Kadiogo will be returning to the Champions League for the first time since 2006 and they will take on Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko in the first match of the new season in Ouagadougou.
Defending champions Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco and compatriots Raja Club Athletic, Tunisia’s Esperance, record champions and last season’s losing finalists Al Ahly, DR Congo’s TP Mazembe and Mamelodi Sundowns have all been exempted from the first round.
CAFOnline.com looks at the first round in perspective, and what to expect as the new interclub season rolls off.
Debutant Teams:
Zalan FC (South Sudan) – Zalan, based in the South Sudanese region of Rumbek are playing the Champions League for the first time in their history after their maiden victory in the Premier League last season. They begin their campaign at home and will face Tanzania’s Young Africans.
ASN Nigelec (Niger) – Ningelec won the Nigerien Premier League for the first time ever and booked their maiden sojourn to the Champions League. They have one prior continental football experience, having played in the CAF Confederation Cup in 2014, where they lost to Algeria’s CS Constantine 4-3 in the first round. They will take on another debutant, Guinea’s Academie SOAR who won the title last season.
Flambeau du Centre (Burundi) – The Gitega based team clinched their first ever league title after a 2-1 final day victory over Athletico New Oil Academy. They thus qualified to represent Burundi in the Champions League for the very first time. They will take on Libya’s Al Ittihad in the first round.
Watanga FC (Liberia) – Watanga clinched the Liberian premier League title for the first time ever and will make their Champions League debut. They travel to Nigeria for a first round date against seasones side Rivers United.
Associaçao Black Bulls (Mozambique) – The Mozambican club won the top flight for the first time ever and earned a debut in continental football, with a ticket to the Champions League. They will take on experienced Angolan side Petro de Luanda in the first preliminary round.
Here is the schedule:
* All times are in GMT
Friday 09 September 2022
Time Match Venue City
16:00 Rail Club de Kadiogo (Burkina Faso) – Asante Kotoko (Ghana) Stade de Yamoussoukro Yamoussoukro
Saturday 10 September 2022
12:30 Volcan Club de Moroni (Comoros) – La Passe FC (Seychelles) Stade Moroni Malouzini Moroni
13:00 APR FC (Rwanda) – US Monastirienne (Tunisia) Huye Stadium Huye
13:00 Zalan FC Rumbek (South Sudan) – Young Africans (Tanzania) National Stadium Dar Es Salaam
13:00 Cape Town City FC (South Africa) – AS Otohô (Congo) Athlone Stadium Cape Town
13:00 Red Arrows FC (Zambia) – CD Primeiro de Agosto (Angola) Heroes National Stadium Lusaka
13:00 Nyasa Big Bullets FC (Malawi) – Simba SC (Tanzania) Bingu National Stadium Lilongwe
14:00 Matlama FC (Lesotho) – Coton Sport (Cameroon) Free State Stadium Mangaung
14:30 ASO Stade Mandji (Gabon) – Plateau United FC (Nigeria) Stade de la Rénovation Franceville
15:00 Olympic Real de Bangui (CAR) – Vipers SC (Uganda) Stade Alphonse Massamba Debat Brazzaville
15:00 CD Mongomo (Equatorial Guinea) – Djoliba AC (Mali) Estadio de Mongomo Mongomo
Clubs that received bye to Second Preliminary Round
Al Ahly (Egypt), Esperance (Tunisia), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Raja Club Athletic (Morocco), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco).
Besides Horoya AC (Mali) is qualified for the next round following the withdrawal of Gambia’s Hawks FC.
1000 Battle of Svolder, Baltic Sea: King Olaf on board the Long Serpent defeated in one of the greatest naval battles of the Viking Age. He leaps to his death overboard.
1776 Congress officially renames the country as the United States of America (from the United Colonies)
1817 Alexander Twilight, probably first African American to graduate from a US college, receives BA degree at Middlebury College
1914 First fully mechanized unit in the British Army created – the Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade (WWI)
1993 Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization exchange letters of mutual recognition
2015 Queen Elizabeth II becomes Great Britain’s longest-reigning monarch at 63 years and seven months, beating the previous record set by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria
HISTORICAL EVENTS TODAY
TODAY IN FILM & TV
1951 1st broadcast of “Love of Life” on CBS-TV
1956 Elvis Presley appears on “The Ed Sullivan Show” for the 1st time
TODAY IN SPORT
1972 Soviet Union beats the United States 51-50 in the most controversial game in international basketball history; with US leading 50-49 the final 3 seconds is replayed 3 times until the Soviets finally win
MORE FACTS….
1543 Mary Stuart, at nine months old, is crowned “Queen of Scots” in the central Scottish town of Stirling
1861 Nurse Sally Tompkins is officially commissioned as an officer (and its only woman officer) by the Confederate US Army
FAMOUS WEDDINGS
1770 Founding Father of America Robert R. Livingston (23) weds John Steven’s daughter Mary Stevens
1979 British singer-songwriter Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) (31) weds Fouzia Ali at Kensington Mosque, in London
1995 American pop singer Chynna Phillips (27) weds American actor William Baldwin (32)
On Thursday 8 September 2022, the Royal Family announced that Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at Balmoral Castle, aged 96.
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, who came to the throne in 1952, became the UK’s longest-serving monarch, after reigning for 70 years.
But she will not only be remembered in the history books, but also for the impact she had in media as a pop culture icon.
From being immortalised by some of the world’s most famous artists, including Andy Warhol and Banksy, to featuring alongside Paddington Bear in a sketch for her Platinum Jubilee concert, the Queen’s image will be remembered for ever.
Nigerian officials have seized thousands of donkey penises that were about to be exported to Hong Kong, an official said on Thursday.
Sacks of the donkey male genitals were seized at the international airport in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, Sambo Dangaladima, the Nigeria Customs Service area commander, told reporters.
The consignment was “falsely declared … as cow male genitals (but) after due examination, my export officers discovered they were donkey male genitals,” said Dangaladima. A total of 16 sacks of the genitals were seized, he said.
An investigation has been launched to find out more information about the seized items, the customs service said.
Although the seizure of donkey genitals meant for export from Nigeria is rare, donkey skins are known to be frequently exported or smuggled out of the country. In July, the Nigerian customs seized $116,000 worth of donkey skins being smuggled into the country from neighboring Niger.
Ukraine’s state nuclear energy operator said Friday that Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, caught in the Ukraine-Russia war, is operating in emergency mode with elevated risk.
The six-reactor Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant came under the control of Russian forces early in the war that started in February, but is being operated by Ukrainian staff. The plant and surrounding areas have been repeatedly hit by shelling that Russia and Ukraine blame on each other’s forces.
The last power line connecting the plant to the Ukrainian electricity grid was cut on Monday, leaving the plant without an outside source of electricity and receiving power for its own safety systems from the only one of the six reactors that remains operational.
Energoatom, the state nuclear operator, said Friday that repairs to the outside lines are impossible because of the shelling and that operating in the so-called “island” carries “the risk of violating radiation and fire safety standards.”
With the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Joe Biden gained the distinction of being the 13th and final U.S. president to meet the woman whose reign spanned seven decades.
The queen, who died Thursday at her summer residence in Scotland at age 96, had met every American president since Dwight Eisenhower, with the exception of Lyndon Johnson, who did not visit Britain during his presidency.
She was still a princess when she met President Harry Truman in Washington.
Every living former U.S. president — Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump — joined Biden in mourning her passing and sending condolences to her family.
Biden and first lady Jill Biden said the queen’s “legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world.”
Obama and his wife, Michelle, recalled the queen welcoming them, America’s first Black president and first lady, to the world stage “with open arms and extraordinary generosity.”
Biden first met the queen in 1982 as a U.S. senator traveling in the U.K. with a delegation from Congress. He last saw her in 2021, several months after he became president, when he attended a world leaders’ summit in southwestern England.
Queen Elizabeth’s death has prompted an outpouring of grief in the UK, where many mourners have gathered to pay their respects at the royal palaces.
Famous British landmarks like Buckingham Palace and Balmoral Castle – where Her Majesty passed away yesterday afternoon – have become focal points for the public. However, those that are usually open to tourists are now closed until after the Queen’s funeral.
Around the world, mourners have gathered at churches and British embassies to mark the death of the UK’s longest-serving monarch of 70 years, and figurehead of the Commonwealth.
Around 30 million tourists visit London every year, though this number has dropped. Many visit to explore the royal topography that makes up the capital – from Kensington Palace to the Tower of London.
For sightseers, a simple ‘No Guard Changing Ceremony’ sign outside Buckingham Palace yesterday indicated the severity of the Queen’s illness aged 96.
Having died in Scotland, plans known as ‘Operation Unicorn’ are now in motion. The Queen’s body will be taken from Balmoral in Aberdeenshire to her smallest Palace of Holyroodhouse, the royals’ official residence in Edinburgh.
There will be a procession up the Royal Mile to St Giles’s Cathedral, where her coffin will lie in state for 24 hours before being transported to Westminster Hall.
Under Operation Unicorn plans, this journey was initially planned by train – allowing people to pay their respects at level crossings and station platforms down the east coast mainline, with another train following behind to collect flowers from the tracks.
But the route described as “very complicated” by transport officials to the Guardian newspaper in 2017 may now happen by plane.
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