Issac Ahemesa, UNAIDS Country Director, Director Genera and IEC/BCC Coord. NAS
By: Amara Kargbo
The National HIV/AIDS Secretariat in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation will on 1st December 2021 commemorate World Aids Day in a grand style by delivering medical treatment to one hidden illness called “Cervical Cancer” to women living with HIV/AIDS.
Abdul Rahman C. Sesay, Director General of NAS informed media practitioners last week at their Head Office, Freetown that Cervical Cancer is a hidden pandemic that needs to be responded to and the HIV/AIDS Secretariat thought it necessary to bring it to the limelight and to work with institutions on how to support government through the Ministry of Health and Sanitation in responding to it.
Director-General defined Cervical Cancer as the second-largest disease in the country, through the screening the Secretariat had done; they realized that such data proven information that Cervical Cancer infection is highly associated with HIV patients which NAS believes, Sierra Leone is a constituent that has people living with HIV. The Secretariat has been making gains by ensuring that HIV no longer becomes a killer disease through various dynamics approaches as innovation, development approaches, and medication rendering to people living with HIV/AIDS.
Cervical cancer is a disease that can be treated if responding to it early, the National HIIV/AIDs Secretariat intends to demonstrate that its responses in terms of medical treatment are very critical in supporting the government in addressing other diseases.
The Aids Secretariat will use cervical cancer screening to examine how they could boost reproductive, maternal and neonatal child health and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to amend this critical issue which is becoming worrisome.
NAS will deliver treatment to women living with HIV/AIDS mobilizing them to give them free screening and those who will test positive will get immediate treatment and referral.
World Aids day will not only focus on raising awareness but as well reinforce other areas within the health delivery systems to ensure that they partner with them to handle issues that affect other components in the health sector.
The theme of World Aids Day is End Inequalities, End and End Pandemic Director-General described said the theme is relevant for the country as well as the global community, he mentioned that the secretariat is struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic and for HIV/AIDS, inequalities are the driven force for HIV infections. The World has committed to itself from Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development Goals to end AIDS by 2030 which requires addressing inequalities and other pandemics.
Issac Ahemesa, UNAIDS Country Director, jointly said that women are more vulnerable every day on the premise that girls are getting married at a very tender age which is not a good impression for the country. He continued most of the deaths of cervical cancer happen among women living with HIV/AIDS and sex workers.
NO MONEY FOR LUNGI BRIDGE IN 2022 BUDGET
-Hon. Ibrahim Aziz Bangura
The Hon. Member of Parliament representing the people of constituency 076 Port Loko District Hon. Ibrahim Aziz Bangura has on Wednesday 24th November 2021at the Chamber of Parliament questioned and comments regarding the failures of the current government to capture the construction and commencement of the Lungi bridge into the National Budget for 2022 as was promised by the president
The Hon. Member reminded the House that the promise is a policy statement made by president Bio for the construction of the Lungi Bridge. He said the people of Lungi are so anxious for the commencement of the bridge “it is a policy statement by the president and we need the bridge “, he asserted.
The honorable member made this calls whilst he was debating the National Budget for 2022 at the Chamber of Parliament
In his contribution also, he expressed dissatisfaction with the frequent electricity stoppages in the township “it is very horrible to see darkness in the face of people coming to Sierra Leone internationally”, he affirmed.
He called on the Central Government to actualize promises made to the people of Lungi for the construction of several roads linking the township to be fulfilled; adding that since those promises were made a single street has not been constructed by this government.
On Tourism, he called on the government to lay a premium on uniting the coexistence of the people and not to divide them; adding that it would attract tourists into the country with positive image building. “It is good for the tourism sector and it can generate revenue for the state”, he said.
In the agriculture sector, he said billions of Leones have been allocated to small farmer enterprises and urged for some of these resources to be beneficial for farmers planting onion production at Lungi and Koinadugu District
On persons with disabilities, he commended the government for the allocation of resources to persons with a disability.
The themed of the budget: “building resilience for inclusive green recovery”. and the said Bill is seeking authorization of expenditure from the consolidated fund for the year 2022 and to provide for other related matters.
