Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma has today been leading the people of Nasarawa State in hosting the First Lady of Nigeria who is paying a one-day visit to the State.

Hajiya Turai Umaru Yar’Adua who is being accompanied on the trip by the First Lady of the Republic of Niger, Madame Laraba Mamadou Tandja, is in Nasarawa State to launch the North Central Zone Chapter of the National Women Coalition Against HIV/AIDS (NAWOCA).

Speaking at the ceremony which held at the Lafia City Centre, Hajiya Turai urged public support for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in our society.  She said analysis showed that up to 60% of those infected with the disease are women and girls.

The First Lady frowned at the practice whereby women were discriminated against by men, stating that in most cases, it was the men who brought home the disease. In order to combat the harmful effect of the scourge, the First Lady urged the education of women and girls stating that it was important for women to know of their reproductive rights.

Speaking earlier, Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma stated Nasarawa State and indeed the North Central Zone was supportive of the initiative of Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua and will do everything possible to ensure the success of the programme. He used the opportunity of the occasion to itemise the various initiatives of the Nasarawa State Government to combat HIV/AIDS.

In an address earlier, the wife of the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State and host of the occasion, Hajiya Raliyatu Aliyu Akwe Doma recalled that in August 2007, during the national launching of NAWOCA, wives of State Executive Governors pledged to support the First Lady’s initiative with the launching of the Coalition at other levels of the society.  The event was therefore, a fulfillment of the collective pledge made at that occasion.

Hajiya Raliyatu also informed the First Lady that the initiative had already been launched at the State level, in which case, Nasarawa State was now set to join in programme of addressing the problems and neglect of women and girls who are victims of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

During the First Lady’s visit to Nasarawa State, she also commissioned the Taimako Screening Centre for breast and cervix. The centre which is an initiative of the Wife of the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State is meant to manage the diseases associated with the organs.

Before departing Nasarawa State, the First lady also commissioned the MDG assisted model comprehensive health centre in Shabu.