By David Odama

LAFIA— THE Executive Secretary, Nasarawa State Aids Control Agency, NSACA, Dr. Zakari Umar, yesterday, revealed that over 101,000 people are living with HIV/AIDs in the state.

Dr. Umar stated this during the graduation ceremony of 300 women and youths, including persons living with HIV/AIDS, trained on income generation skills at Mother and Child Enhancement Foundation, McCEF, facility founded by the wife of Nasarawa State Governor, Hajia Salamatu Tanko Al-Makura.

According to him, “at present, Nasarawa State has over 101,000 people living with HIV/AIDS. Only 1,375 of this number were trained on income generating activities, out of which 70 had training at McCEF facility, leaving over 100,000 outstanding.

“Nasarawa Aids Control Agency is desirous to continue with this programme so that more people living with HIV/AIDS will benefit.

“We are very optimistic of the support of the governor in this regards and appre-ciates the sustained interest shown towards alleviating the plight of people living with HIV/Aids, by the present government in the state.”

He explained that in 2015, the foundation graduated the first set of 40, trained at McCEF facility with funding from World Bank credit, during which 10 graduates were employed into the state civil service and all the 40 graduates got N100,000 each to add up to their start-up capital.

Speaking earlier, wife of the state governor and Founder of the project, Hajia Salamatu Al-Makura, said over 10,000 women and youths have been trained in various vocational skills acquisition programme, adding that the vision of the foundation is to contribute her quota in reducing maternal mortality rate in the state and improve the socio-economic status of family through skills acquisition and empowerment.

She said the foundation had, over the years, distributed over 200 bags of rice to internally displaced persons, IDPs, shared 300 food supplements to HIV/AIDS patients and trained over 100 traditional birth attendants from all the 13 local government areas on modern day delivery, the safety of mother and child, among others.