PATA gives voice to women with HIV

June 12, 2007 :: Sola Ogundipe,Lagos Vanguard,Lagos

For six women who are openly living positively with HIV, the chance to be a successful participant in the Positive Action for Treatment Access (PATA) women leadership training programme is a dream come true. In so many ways, Comfort Maishanu - a nurse at the General Hospital, Nyanya, Abuja; Temitayo Oyedemi - a student of English Department in Ogun state University and Ijeoma Florence is a Lagos-based nurse with Doctors without Borders (MSF) are one and the same. The same can be said for Angel Ndidiamaka Ibe - a graduate of Theatre Arts, and counselor/community moblilizer with Society For Healthy Living, Port Harcourt; Nkechi Okoro a graduate of secretarial studies from Kaduna Polytechnic and Bukola Ayinde, a Pharmacist based at the Ring Road State Hospital, Ibadan. In a chat with Good Health Weekly recently, each of the ladies shared experiences and expressed a common burning desire to use their own personal experiences to make a positive change in the lives of others with HIV. PATA’s Project Director, Ms. Rolake Odetoyinbo said the six women were part of a total of 14 selected from over 70 applicants for the programme. She noted that part of PATA’s objectivesare to promote access to treatment education, advocacy for access to affordable qualitative tests and drugs and non-discrimination gender-based responses to disease prevention and treatment amongst others. “Our goal is to strengthen women living with HIV in treatment and support.” In her view, the project aims to tell a new story of the feminisation of women and HIV. “We plan to give voices to the plight of positive women and build their capacity and competence levels as HIV managers, treatment educators and advocates at national and community levels.” The project which is sponsored by the Ford Foundation consists of three 14-day sessions with a four-month interval during which the women will be expected to work in their communities as advocates and educators using the skills they have acquired. A stipend will be given each participant for sustenance so they can concentrate on being community advocates working fully on HIV and becoming case managers for other women on treatment. http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/features/health/gh529052007.html