HIV/AIDS textbook for senior secondary launched

September 22, 2006

An Introductory textbook on HIV/AIDS educationThe book, written by Mr Uwem Useh, a social crusader and community mobiliser and approved by the Federal Ministry of Education, for use in senior secondary schools in the country has been launched in Abuja.

Useh, the author said at the launch that the book was assessed and recommended for use by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC).

He said the book offered concrete preventive messages that would promote a comprehensive strategy for in-school youths to become pro-active in the fight against HIV/AIDS scourge.

He said over two million Nigerians had died from HIV/AIDS related illness and another 3.6 million living with the virus while about two million children had been orphaned by AIDS.

He said that checking the spread of the scourge would require strategic approaches capable of increasing students knowledge and awareness on how best to tackle the pandemic.

“The emergence of this remarkable weapon in the fight against HIV/AIDS at the moment is timely and in line with the multi-dimensional approach adopted by the present administration in the fight against the disease,” he said.

He said that youths vulnerable to the scourge were found mostly in secondary schools, stressing that a “textbook” of this nature was the most effective method of passing information across to them”.

Useh said the 108-page book was designed for easy reading with detailed presentation of contemporary and up-to-date information on the virus.

“The thrust of the book is to make HIV/AIDS prevention education more practical and student friendly as well as provide a proper way for the public to understand the reality of the subject matter on HIV/AIDS,” he said.

The special guest of honour at the launch, Ms Velarie Manson, Chief Executive Officer, Kingdom Life Foundation called for an increased funding for HIV/AIDS in the country.

Manson said the HIV/AIDS infection was assuming an alarming rate as the world recorded over four million new cases last year.

She called for intensive collaboration between the various organisations working towards reducing the impact of the scourge on the society especially in developing counties.

“We need to work towards widening the reach of prevention and treatment initiatives to reduce the infection rate,” she added.

Manson also stressed the need for universal support to governments, NGOs and all those working to reverse the spread of the scourge.

“Now we know how to stop AIDS, we have the knowledge to prevent millions of needless deaths, what is needed now is the fund to redouble research and technology efforts which are essential to prevention and spread of HIV,” she said.