By Obianuju Isima
The Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA) has stepped up its Workplace HIV Outreach Initiative, taking free HIV and other preventive health services to workers at Chiben Leisure, formerly Hilton Leisure Hotel, Awka.
The Sept. 11 outreach, led by the Executive Director of ANSACA, Dr. Nkem Okeke, offered workers free HIV testing, hepatitis B and C screening, malaria testing, blood pressure checks and HIV prevention education.
Speaking during the exercise, Okeke said the initiative was aimed at making essential HIV prevention information and services more accessible to workers who may not routinely have the opportunity to visit health facilities.
He described a healthy workforce as essential to productivity, stressing that workplace based services can encourage employees to know their HIV status, obtain accurate health information and make informed decisions about their wellbeing.
Okeke said the Chiben Leisure exercise marked ANSACA’s third workplace outreach, following earlier interventions at the State Secretariat and another organisation.
He commended the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for creating an enabling environment for the agency to strengthen HIV prevention and awareness across the state.
The executive director called on businesses and organisations including hotels, industries, banks, markets and other workplaces to partner with ANSACA in providing HIV sensitisation, testing and prevention services for their employees.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to bringing HIV prevention services closer to the people while encouraging greater workplace participation in Anambra’s HIV response.
ANSACA’s message: Healthy Workers. Productive Workplaces. Zero New HIV Infections.
Obianuju Isima is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation Anambra State
#anambraministryofinformationandvaluereformation
#anambraisrising
#ANSACA
#workplaceHIVoutreach
#HIVprevention
#healthyworkforce
#knowyourstatus
#solutionishere
#solutioncontinues
