Residents of Ekwulobia and surrounding communities in Aguata Local Government Area(LGA) are set to benefit from a two-day free health outreach organised by the Youths on Ground Progressive and Mentorship Initiative in partnership with KNCV Nigeria and the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA).
The outreach will hold on Aug. 25 and 26, 2026, at Cathedral Church of St. John’s Hall, Ekwulobia, Aguata LGA from 10 a.m. daily.
The programme will offer free screening for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, typhoid, and hepatitis B and C, alongside blood pressure checks, health education, treatment and medications for eligible participants.
Participants will receive health information materials and assistance in accessing the Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme (ASHIA).
The organisers urged residents to take advantage of the opportunity to know their health status, access timely care and learn practical ways to prevent diseases.
Obianuju Isima is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
The Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA) has strengthened its collaboration with the Nigerian Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV/AIDS (NINERELA+) to deepen HIV awareness, address misinformation and promote access to prevention, testing, treatment and care across the state.
The Executive Director of ANSACA, Dr. Nkem Okeke, said this on Aug. 20, when he received a delegation from NINERELA+ at the agency.
The delegation, led by the Anambra State Coordinator of NINERELA+, Dcns. Ugwu Makuachukwu, included Kabiru Badamosi, Chairman, Muslim Society Anambra State NINERELA+, and Onwumelu Musa Hamza, JNI Chairman, Southeast Muslim Forum.
The engagement focused on using the reach and influence of Christian, Muslim and traditional religious institutions to promote accurate HIV information at the grassroots, tackle stigma and discrimination, and dispel myths that could prevent people from seeking appropriate care.
Dr. Okeke emphasised that faith and spiritual support remain important to many people living with or affected by HIV, but should complement rather than replace evidence-based medical care.
He noted that misinformation and inappropriate spiritual interventions could discourage people from testing, affect adherence to treatment and ultimately compromise health outcomes.
The ANSACA Executive Director called for stronger collaboration with faith leaders to ensure that people receive accurate information and are encouraged to access HIV services without fear, shame or discrimination.
Both organisations agreed to deepen faith based HIV education and community engagement as part of broader efforts to achieve zero new HIV infections and an AIDS free Anambra State by 2030.
The partnership is expected to bring HIV messages closer to communities through trusted religious platforms, helping families and individuals make informed decisions about prevention, testing and treatment.
Obianuju Isima is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
The Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA) is exploring a partnership with the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN) to strengthen the project management skills of its staff and improve the delivery and sustainability of its health programmes.
The initiative was discussed on Aug. 14, when the leadership of ANSACA, Dr. Nkem Okeke while in Abuja, paid a courtesy visit to the Registrar-General/Chief Executive Officer of CIPMN, Mr. Henry Ifeanyi Mbadiwe.
The engagement focused on equipping ANSACA personnel with practical skills in project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation to enhance programme outcomes and service delivery across Anambra State.
ANSACA implements a range of interventions, including community outreaches, HIV prevention and testing, partner supported programmes, research and capacity-building activities. The agency recognises that effective delivery of these initiatives requires sound project planning, budgeting, risk management, monitoring and evaluation.
Discussions therefore explored opportunities for professional training and certification of ANSACA staff in project management, alongside improved systems for project monitoring, documentation and reporting.
The two institutions also considered collaboration in resource and stakeholder management, proposal development, donor funded project management and strategies for sustaining health programmes beyond individual funding cycles.
The meeting was described as productive, with both sides expressing interest in developing a structured partnership that would strengthen ANSACA’s institutional capacity and enhance the quality and sustainability of programmes delivered to Ndi Anambra.
The proposed collaboration is expected to help staff apply professional project management approaches to health interventions, ensuring that resources, partnerships and programmes translate into measurable and lasting outcomes.
Obianuju Isima is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation Anambra State
The Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA) has urged pregnant women and nursing mothers to embrace exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life, describing the practice as essential to proper nutrition, healthy development and protection against childhood illnesses.
The Executive Director of ANSACA, Dr. Hilary Nkem Okeke, made the call on Aug 8. during a World Breastfeeding Week programme held at the Maternal and Child Healthcare Clinic, Ogidi, in partnership with the Idemili North Local Government Area(LGA).
Okeke, who commended the Mayor of Idemili North LGA, Chief Stanley Nkwoka, for partnering with ANSACA on the programme, described breast milk as a baby’s first source of protection, urging mothers to disregard misinformation and harmful practices that could interfere with exclusive breastfeeding.
He explained that exclusive breastfeeding means giving a baby only breast milk for the first six months, except where medicines or supplements are medically indicated.
The ANSACA boss appealed to employers and institutions to adopt breastfeeding friendly policies that enable working mothers to continue breastfeeding after childbirth, including adequate maternity leave and supportive workplace arrangements.
On HIV prevention, Okeke reassured women living with HIV that an HIV positive status does not prevent them from having healthy children when they receive appropriate medical care.
He explained that pregnant women living with HIV who enrol early in antenatal care, take antiretroviral medicines consistently and follow professional medical advice can significantly reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to their babies.
He urged pregnant women to know their HIV status early and remain committed to treatment where necessary, stressing that effective HIV care can help mothers protect their babies from HIV infection.
Okeke commended the Anambra State Government under Governor Chukwuma Soludo for its investment in maternal and child healthcare, particularly the provision of free antenatal and delivery services in government hospitals across the state.
He congratulated the Governor’s wife, Dr. Nonye Soludo, on receiving the 2026 BudgIT Active Citizens Award in Health Activism, describing the recognition as a reflection of her advocacy for improved health and wellbeing.
The Director of Primary Healthcare, Idemili North LGA, Lady Chinwe Okeke, said exclusive breastfeeding provides babies with essential nutrients and helps strengthen their developing immune systems.
The wife of the Mayor of Idemili North LGA, Lady Eberechukwu Nkwoka, urged mothers to practise exclusive breastfeeding and support efforts aimed at improving the health of children and families in the community.
Some beneficiaries of the state’s free maternal healthcare programme, including Iheukwumere Ezeakor, Adaora Aghalike and Chinecherem Amaife, shared their experiences, expressing appreciation for the free antenatal and delivery services available in government hospitals.
They commended the Soludo administration for reducing the financial burden associated with pregnancy and childbirth and making maternal healthcare more accessible to families.
The programme reinforced the importance of combining breastfeeding support, antenatal care, HIV prevention and accessible maternal health services to give mothers and children a healthier start in life.
Obianuju Isima is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
