South East Govs' wives set to fight HIV/AIDS

June 24, 2008 :: ThisDay,Lagos

Wives of South-eastern governors are in Owerri, Imo State capital, to brainstorm on how to form a national coalition on HIV/AIDS. The coalition will be launched on Thursday,July 3,2008. Wife of Imo State Governor, Chioma Ohakim, Convener of the meeting, said the essence of the meeting was to fashion out modalities for a hitch-free launching by wife of the President, Hajiya Turai Yar'Adua. According to her, purpose of the coalition was to involve women in leadership positions to join the fight against HIV/AIDS, by involving them in the campaign against the scourge. She said emerging facts show that in sub-Saharan Africa, women make up about 50 per cent of those infected with HIV/AIDS, adding that the disease appears to wear a woman's face, and charged her colleagues to be involved in advocacy meetings to opinion leaders and power brokers to support the fight against HIV/AIDS. The meeting also had experts on HIV/AIDS, amongst whom were, Dr. Ben Nwamadu and Professor Viola Onwuliri, who made presentations on dealing with the HIV/AIDS scourge and how to reduce its spread.