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Make HIV Treatment Totally Free, NEPWHAN Tasks Govt

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The Network of People Living with HIV in Nigeria, Lagos State chapter, NEPWHAN, has called on the Federal and state governments to save the lives of indigent members by making HIV treatment totally free.

Making the call recently at an event to mark the 2021 World AIDS Day with the theme: ‘End inequalities, End AIDS, Support PLHIV’ the group noted that some facilities such as the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, NIMR and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, still collect money for drug pick up.

Speaking on the challenges of the people living with HIV/AIDS, the secretary of NEPWHAN, Ms Monica Obi urged the Lagos State governor to wade into the issue.

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“For example, the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, NIMR. NIMR might not be directly linked to Lagos State but it is in the State and the governor can do something about it.

“We want a situation whereby our people can walk into any facility and collect their antiretroviral drugs, ARVs, free of charge. He should take our message to President Muhammad Buhari that we want free and accessible ARVs in NIMR.

“We want a baseline test in viral load test free. There are some indigent clients that will not be able to pay and because of that they will be missing appointments and some will not be taking their drugs regularly because they will be scared of the money they will pay on the next appointment.

“In facilities like LUTH, they pay N5,000 for a viral load test. So we want HIV treatment to be totally free.”

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Obi also lamented the lack of some regimens in NIMR.

“In NIMR, there are some regimens of ARVs that are not available. Some have not taken ARVs for months. So you are indirectly telling the people to go and die.”

Speaking on stigmatisation, the Lagos State Coordinator of NEPWHAN, Mr. Patrick Akpan, said Nigeria may not be able to end HIV/AIDS because a lot of people are still being discriminated against thereby losing job opportunities.

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Akpan who has been living with HIV 17 years said: “Within the last one month, we have gotten more than three or four stigma cases.

“When you stigmatise people living with HIV that means you do not regard that person because of his status, that is stigma.

“If we discrimate, it means we are not heading to ending Aids because a lot of people will be hiding, nobody will want to come out because of discrimination.

“Government needs to do a lot more because I don’t know what will happen if the donors decide not to give us drugs again.”

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He, however, rated the efforts of the government at just 30 percent.

On his own, Umoru Ibrahim who has managed HIV for the past two decades said the ugliest thing that impedes the response to HIV is stigma and discrimination.

Ibrahim said: “Science has proven that even people living with HIV who are on treatment and have their viral load suppressed cannot transmit the virus.

“It hurts to hear that employers of labour will deny somebody employment because of his or her HIV status.”

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He said Nigeria has not got to where the citizens should jubilate yet because there are still a lot of work to be done.

“It is most dangerous that we have an epidemic of this magnitude and it is donor driven. Everything about HIV is funded by donors. The Nigerian government’s financial input is about 10 percent and it is shameful.

“Let the government take ownership and let us have a fair playground for everybody. Then produce drugs here, produce test kits here and let the treatment get better. What we are having now is not the best,” Ibrahim stated.

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Kenya Deports Nigerian Captured On CCTV Assaulting Woman In Wheelchair [VIDEO]

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A Nigerian national who was caught on CCTV camera assaulting a Kenyan woman confined to a wheelchair in Nairobi has been deported.

In the footage that went viral on April 26, 2024, the Nigerian man identified as John Nwankwo Noko, is seen clobbering a helpless Ms. Pauline in the head before two other ladies looking on intervened to stop the act.

In a statement signed by State Department of Gender Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe, Nwankwo was deported on Saturday, May 4, 2024, for assaulting his partner, Ms Pauline.

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He is accused of physically assaulting his partner, a Kenyan woman confined to a wheelchair, raising concerns about cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

READ ALSO: 70 Passengers Fall Ill, Vomit Bug During Flight From Mauritius To Frankfurt

“The act of violence has not only violated the rights of an individual but has also highlighted the broader issues of gender-based violence, that is rampant in our society,” Orwoba said in the statement.

The case was first brought to the attention of the police by Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba on Wednesday, May 1.

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Orwoba, acting on the video that first went viral on social media on April 29, visited the woman at her home, who confirmed that her life was in danger.

She [the woman] claimed that her Nigerian partner “had been threatening to kill her and her two domestic workers if they outed him,” Orwoba said.

Senator Orwoba then reported the matter to Karen Police Station, after which it was picked up by the offices of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kindiki Kithure, and that of Immigration PS Julius Bitok.

READ ALSO: Woman Wins $1million Lottery For Second Time In 10 Weeks

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Mr Nwankwo Noko has been arrested and processed for deportation,” Gender PS confirmed.

The nominated senator, who has continually advocated for violence against women has since demanded an end to the rising cases, saying they not only leave women with physical and emotional damage but also tear the moral fabric of our society.

We strongly condemn such behavior and we shall continue working towards creating a safer environment for women, free of fear,” Orwoba added.

Watch footage below:

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Woman Wins $1million Lottery For Second Time In 10 Weeks

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Christine Wilson of Attleboro recently claimed a $1 million jackpot, the Massachusetts State Lottery announced on Wednesday, May 1.

Amazingly, it marked the second $1 million prize she’d won in just 10 weeks.

Wilson’s latest winnings came from playing the 100X Cash $10 instant ticket game. The scratch game involves matching any of the player’s numbers or bonus numbers to any winning number.

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READ ALSO: 70 Passengers Fall Ill, Vomit Bug During Flight From Mauritius To Frankfurt

In February, Wilson claimed her first $1 million lottery prize after playing the Lifetime Millions $50 instant ticket game.

When she won her first prize, Wilson said that she would use some of the money to buy an SUV. Now she plans to put her new winnings towards savings.

As with her first jackpot prize back in February, for her latest win, Wilson opted for the cash payout option of $650,000 before taxes.

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And it’s not just Wilson who is reaping the rewards for her latest jackpot. The Family Food Mart that sold her the ticket will receive a $10,000 bonus.

READ ALSO: NAF Kills Several Terrorists In Borno, Niger Airstrikes

Wilson joins other lucky folks who have won a lottery jackpot twice in the last year. In February, a Michigan man won a $110,000 prize by playing the state’s Fantasy 5 Double Play drawing. Six months earlier, the man had also netted $110,000 via the same game.

Meanwhile, in October 2023, Jennifer Minton of Gloucester, Virginia, won $50,000 playing that state’s Safari Quest online game. A week later, she won again, netting a $1 million prize.

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And in March of that same year, a couple from Australia scored two $1 million prizes on separate tickets in the same drawing for Australia’s Monday & Wednesday Lotto game.

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70 Passengers Fall Ill, Vomit Bug During Flight From Mauritius To Frankfurt

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About 70 passengers fell ill with a vomiting bug mid-way through their flight from Mauritius to Frankfurt.

According to Mail Online, Condor airline Flight DE2315 was travelling on Thursday, May 2, from Mauritius to Frankfurt when it became clear that many passengers on board were suffering from the bug.

The aircraft landed in the German city at around 5.33pm where it was greeted with a large contingent of emergency services.

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Crew had called ahead to alert officials on the ground of the unfolding emergency.

READ ALSO: Teenager Jailed For Life For Murder Of 16-year-old Boy At House Party

It was found that 70 of the 290 passengers onboard had suddenly reported symptoms including nausea and vomiting.

A spokesperson for the Germany airline confirmed the incident to the country’s Bild tabloid, adding that the crew was not affected by the illness.

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‘She [the pilot/crew] is also educated and trained for special situations like this,’ the statement to the newspaper said.

‘After carefully examining the overall situation, the flight continued. The aircraft landed safely in Frankfurt, where medical professionals were available to care for the affected guests.’

READ ALSO: How Flight Engineer Saved Us From Disaster — Ex-DG, Bureau of Public Service Reforms

The airline, however, did not confirm the cause of the sudden illness, but noted that the food onboard would have been prepared in Mauritius.

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‘Condor has already initiated an investigation into the case to get to the bottom of the cause and to derive possible measures from it,’ the spokeswoman added.

Condor is working closely with all responsible partners and authorities. There is currently no result available.

‘We generally do not participate in speculation about the cause, for example about individual menus on board that were prepared in Mauritius,’ the statement added.

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