By; ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna
A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Network of Adolescent and Young Persons Development (ANAYD), says it has introduced a social media quiz competition to sensitise HIV/AIDS victims to control spread of the disease.
The Founder of the organisation, Mr Aaron Sunday, told journalists on Wednesday in Kaduna that the competition would engage the targeted HIV/AIDS infected youths on how to prevent further spread of the scourge in the country.
Sunday said the competition aims at bringing out adolescents who are positive but are hiding because of stigmatisation and to cut spread of the disease.
He added that the competition would help in building their character to achieve total adherence to their drugs.
“We are mobilising adolescent and young persons, both affected and unaffected, for access to treatment care and support service.
“We want to promote sexual reproductive health and rights of adolescent and young persons.
“We hope to make it a yearly event so as to bring out young adolescents who are HIV positive and are hiding because of stigmatisation to come out.
“We also want to cut the spread and help them build their character with adherence to their drugs.
“We want to also introduce more programmes like beauty pageant, concert, in-school life building skills and, pre-valentine out of school life building skills,’’ the founder said.
According to him, the organisation is established in response to the huge gap created by the omission of adolescent and young persons in the area of health programming.
Sunday said ANAYD was saddled with the responsibility of reducing discrimination and other social challenges among adolescents and young persons living with HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and other health related issues.
“We facilitate meaningful involvement of adolescents and young persons both affected and infected with HIV/ADS.
“We want to ensure that adolescent and young persons access available resources meant for them to equip adolescent and young persons with necessary skills and make them productive in the society,’’ he said.
Besides, he said that the organisation hope to synergise and build positive relationships with networks and relevant stakeholders in the country and across Africa.
