The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has said that more than half a million vulnerable and children orphaned by HIV have benefitted from its five-year activity. African Children USAID’s Mission Director, Mr. Steven Haykin, made this known in Abuja on Wednesday at the closing of a five-year Local Partners for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Project in Nigeria (LOPIN 3).According to Haykin, LOPIN 3 and its sister activities, USAID has provided care and support for more than half a million children orphaned or otherwise affected by HIV.
Haykin said that LOPIN 3 was a particularly important activity as it focused on some of the most vulnerable Nigerians of all, which were orphans and other children affected by HIV/AIDs in their communities.
He added that the programme was operated at the community level and was managed by indigenous NGOs in Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Adamawa, and Kano states.
LOPIN 3 has provided more than 184,000 vulnerable children and their households with protection, care and support services since 2014.
It has also provided critically needed assistance of 48,000 of these vulnerable children & caregivers.
These services include education, health care services, nutrition, food security psychosocial support, household economic strengthening and legal protection.
The activity helped these populations obtain equitable access to quality health services and helped community health systems become more responsive in their needs.
Since 2018 alone, the United States through USAID has tested over two million people for HIV and successfully linked 80 per cent of those identifies as positive into treatment.
“USAID also provided more than 285,000 HIV-positive Nigerians with life-saving therapy and continues to supply Nigeria with HIV test kits and medicines as part of the U.S government’s HIV/AIDs response,” Haykin said.
Haykin said that LOPIN 3 referrals provided access to life-saving health care and improved access to community-based social welfare services.
He explained that this approach not only increased access to health services, but also inspired thousands to seek the care they needed to strengthen family resilience.
The USAID mission director said that in addition, block grants had helped vulnerable children access schools, assisting thousands of children’s academic progress while providing equal opportunity for girls and boys.
Haykin said that although he was saddened that the activity was ending, the U.S. government commitment to better health remained strong as it would continue the fight against HIV/AIDs.
source: DailyTimes
