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Ortom names wife as head of Benue AIDS control agency

By Joseph Wantu, Makurdi
02 December 2015   |   4:21 am
BENUE State Governor Samuel Ortom, yesterday explained why he appointed his wife, Dr. Eunice Erdoo Ortom as chairperson of the state AIDS Control Agency.
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom (left), wife, Dr. Eunice Erdoo Ortom and Senior Special Assistant on Youth Affairs, Mr. Terungwa Nyior during the commemoration of World Aids Day in Makurdi…yesterday

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom (left), wife, Dr. Eunice Erdoo Ortom and Senior Special Assistant on Youth Affairs, Mr. Terungwa Nyior during the commemoration of World Aids Day in Makurdi…yesterday

BENUE State Governor Samuel Ortom, yesterday explained why he appointed his wife, Dr. Eunice Erdoo Ortom as chairperson of the state AIDS Control Agency.

Ortom, who made the explanation at the Ibrahim Babangida Public Square in Makurdi during the commemoration of the 2015 World AIDS Day, said his wife, having worked in the agency as an Administrative Officer and Gender Focal Person on HIV/AIDS is not new to its operations. “My reason for doing so is to keep HIV/AIDS issues close to my side and to my heart.”

He expressed appreciation to partners and stakeholders for deploying their resources to fight the menace assuring that the campaign would continue until victory is fully won.

“I am optimistic that with this coalition of efforts there is hope that Benue will be the first State in the Federation to record zero prevalence in HIV,” Governor Ortom stressed.

“We are not yet out of the woods of the virus, but we have come a long way from the alarming HIV prevalence rate of 16.8 per cent that the state recorded in 1999 to 5.6 per cent today.”

“The low prevalence of 5.6 per cent which now places Benue state ninth nationwide could not have been possible without the cooperation of our people, funding and technical support of development partners,” he added.

Mrs. Ortom said the ceremony was aimed at increasing awareness and education on prevention tips, advice and to cross-fertilise ideas in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

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