By Prince Okafor

Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria and Total Nigeria Plc, in partnership with Nigeria Business Against AIDS, NIBUCAA, have screened over 10,000 persons on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in Onitsha, Anambra State.

Speaking during the launch of the programme in Onitsha, Managing Director, Total Nigeria Plc, Mr. Jean Phillipe-Torres, and Managing Director of Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria, represented by Executive Director (Strategy), Dr. Jeff Nnamani, said the exercise, which commenced since 2006, had gone round 20 states across the country, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Nnamani said: “Total Group in Nigeria with her partners— Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC; National Petroleum Investment Management Services, NAPIMS, has over the past 11 years consistently made concerted efforts under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative at responding to the HIV /AIDS pandemic in Nigeria.

“The Total Group is committed to positively impact the lives of Nigerians through health education on preventive measure and awareness creation on HIV/AIDS management.”

In his remarks, Acting Executive Secretary of NIBUCCA, Mr. Gbenga Alabi, expressed happiness to have forged a synergy with Total Group since 2006 to help in achieving the lofty goals for which the body was set up.

Alabi said: “This is the second visit to Anambra State, our first visit was in 2013 when three automated laboratory equipment (CD four machines, semi-chemistry analyzer and semi-hematology analyzer) were donated to Aliyi-Enugu Mission Hospital, Ogidi which is now a comprehensive treatment centre.”

“This year project is keying into the United Nations 90-90-90 strategy aimed at providing opportunity for people to know their HIV status. You may not believe it, but around 40% of the people with HIV are unaware of their infection. The only way to determine a persons HIV status is for them to have an HIV test.”