By Aherhoke Okioma
Chevron Nigeria limited, operators of NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture, has said that it had invested $10 million in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PROMOT) in Nigeria.
General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs (PGPA) of the company, Deji Haastrup, disclosed this on Monday at the Bayelsa state prevention of Mother-to-Child transmission (PROMOT) sustainability planning workshop held at Krisdera Hotel, Omoku, Rivers state.
He said Chevron’s intervention was mainly targeted at its areas of operation in the country, stressing that Bayelsa state, where Chevron has its operation, had been identified as one of the 12 states in the country with high HIV/AIDS burden.
He said: “We are also aware of the 2010 National HIV zero- prevalence sentinel survey which placed Bayelsa state as the third highest in Nigeria with 9.1 per cent and reported that only a quarter of the estimated 98,000 pregnant women annually in the state accessed ante natal care.”’
Describing the situation as “worrisome,” Haastrup said was why Chevron decided to partner with PACT, Bayelsa state government, and other stakeholders to contribute towards the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the state.
“Our mission is to help achieve regional and national elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and keep HIV+ mothers and children alive.”
He lauded the efforts of the implementing partners in the project, PACT, in educating and mobilising the population in the targeted communities since the flag off of the pilot project in Sagbama and Yenagoa local government areas.
Haastrup said Chevron had provided additional funding support of $1.7 million in March, this year, to facilitate the expansion of the PROMOT project to all local government areas in Bayelsa state, targeting at least 120, 000 men and women of reproductive age.
