Information touch screens debut for HIV/AIDS

November 21, 2006 :: ThisDay,Lagos

Every day, researches have been ongoing across the world on the best way to spread awareness on the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Since the disease has defied cure, efforts have continued on the best way to manage the HIV/AIDS condition through appropriate communication.

 In Lagos last week, the MTN Foundation took the war against HIV/AIDS to a new frontier as it launched its interactive touch screen machines that will intensify the information dissemination process on HIV/AIDS. The machine is equipped with the capacity to interact with the user and relay information in Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Pidgin English and English Language.

It is expected that the machines would be deployed to 12 centres across the country. The project is a partnership between the MTN Foundation, National Action Committee on Aids (NACA), West African NGO Network, (WANGONeT) as well as other members of the MTN Foundation Partners Against AIDS in the Community Project (MTNF PAAC).

 
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony witnessed by an array of personalities and students of some secondary schools within the Lagos area, Ambassador Hamzat Ahmadu, chairman of the MTN Foundation, said the HIV/AIDS pandemic presents a real challenge to the country today. Ahmadu noted that the Foundation believed that every effort must be made by all to fight the pandemic as it must not be left for government alone.

He said the Foundation has been complementing the effort of government in this regard and in August 2005, rolled out a comprehensive external HIV/AIDS campaign titled MTN Foundation Partners Against AIDS in the Community (MTNF-PAAC). He added that this was one of the health intervention strategies of the MTN Foundation that adopts a multi-faceted approach aimed at integrating HIV and AIDS response into community structures in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. He said the programme, which is being delivered in partnership with government and local NGOs, demonstrates the power and potential of public/private sector partnerships in the socio-economic advancement of the country.

Ahmadu stated that the commissioning of the innovative HIV/AIDS information dissemination and awareness creation strategy will undoubtedly be a milestone in the transformation of our HIV/AIDS prevention strategy, which is so strategically aligned with government's programme of national transformation. "I therefore encourage our dear citizens in the target locations across the country to take full advantage of the touch screens, which is one of MTN's pioneering corporate social responsibility initiatives", he stated.

In her own speech, Mrs. Amina Oyagbola, executive director, MTN Foundation, noted that the organisation, which focuses on the areas of health, education and economic empowerment, is effectively driving this social investment initiative through numerous projects all over Nigeria.

"We have a three-pronged approach to fighting the dreadful pandemic of HIV and AIDS. These are awareness, prevention, counselling, care and support. We at MTN always seek to do whatever we can to raise public awareness of the scourge of HIV and AIDS", Oyagbola stated.

She added that it was in furtherance of this that the theme of this year's MTN Half Marathon, slated for December 2, is "Run for life...Run Against AIDS".

According to Oyagbola, these HIV/AIDS self instructional information touch screens are the first of their kind in Nigeria and indeed, Africa and the messages were carefully developed to ensure cultural sensitivity. "We are here today to commission one of the MTN Foundation's most innovative products. A touch screen is a computer display screen that is sensitive to human touch, allowing users to interact with the computer by touching the pictures or words on the screen", she said.

She stated that the software was carefully developed and designed by WANGONeT to ensure cultural sensitivity with input from NACA and other major stakeholders. She said the hardware choice was based on the anticipated high human traffic and usage, security and power supply issues that are peculiar to the Nigerian environment.

According to her, the 12 strategic locations where the HIV/AIDS self instructional touch screens would be installed include; Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Federal Secretariat Lobby Abuja, Domestic wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, domestic and international wings of the Murtala Mohammed Internal Airport, Lagos and Port-Harcourt International Airport.

Others are State Library, Calabar, University of Nigeria, Enugu campus, Bayero University Kano, University of Jos, MTN Service Centre, Opebi, Lagos and Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos.

She enjoined all and sundry to join hands in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the country.

Also speaking on the occasion, Minister of Health, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo, represented by Mrs. Ngozi Njepuoeme, director of public health of the ministry, lauded the initiative of the Foundation, which will lead to promotion of awareness that will lead to behaviour change.

 Lambo said the commissioning of the project was a further demonstration of the success of its public/private sector partnership, which was an essential element of the health sector reforms. The minister called on Nigerians to take advantage of the facility and access valuable information on the pandemic.

In his own address, Prof. Babatubde Osotimehin, chairman of NACA, who was represented by Mr. Emmanuel Alhassan, stated approximately five out of 100 Nigerians are living with the virus. He said there were dozens of counselling and testing centres spread across the country.

 "We also have a very good treatment programme which have been scaled up from 25 sites to almost 90 sites today across the country, not to mention private sector service providers. All the interventions have led to a decline in the prevalence rate between 2001, which was 5.8 and as at today 4.4 per cent", the NACA boss said.

Two touch screens were later commissioned on the ground floor of the Silverbird Galleria at the event witnessed by many dignitaries from all walks of life.