CLAP builds health,HIV/AIDS centre for community

November 3, 2006 :: Sunday Ejike Benjamin, Daily Trust,Abuja

Residents of Aso 'C' in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State will now enjoy improved health care delivery services following the launching of a healthcare centre for maternal and child health.

The centre, which is being built by the Community Life Advancement Project (CLAP), would also serve as a place to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS cases.

CLAP President, Dr. Remi Obinatu, said poverty, disease and HIV/AIDS are devastating the lives of women and children in the rural areas while many who are capable to render assistance to save the lives of the most vulnerable groups of the society fold their hands and watch.

Dr. Obinatu lamented that in spite of the modern knowledge in health technology, Nigerian women and children still die in large numbers from preventable and treatable diseases, pointing out that poverty has been made worse in the society by the arrival of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

He said CLAP, with the permission of the Karu local government authority is ready to contribute to the improvement of maternal and child health; HIV/AIDS awareness and needs; saying also that the organisation's principal aim is to reach all nooks and crannies of the country with services to improve the living standards of the rural dwellers so as to facilitate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for women and children.

Presenting the report of a study on the health status of women and children and HIV/AIDS awareness carried out in the area, CLAP president disclosed that malaria accounts for 12.3 per cent morbidity, followed by diarrhoea (7.4%), and upper respiratory tract infection (4%).

The survey, he noted also shows that out of every 100 women delivered of babies in the area, only about 20 of them have contact with trained health care provider while 76% of those that delivered at home said the nearest health facilities were far away and access roads were poor", he explained..

The Health Minister, Prof Eyitayo Lambo in a message read on his behalf by Mrs Beatrice Eluaka, applauded the organisation for what he called an evidenced-based planning, which he noted would ensure interventions that are based on actual situation on ground with less cost, saying that the ministry is ready to work with credible organisation to help women and children as well as improving the health status of Nigerians in the spirit of Public-Private Participation (PPP).