Stakeholders Want War Against HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria Intensified

STAKEHOLDERS in the health and human resources sector have called for more concerted efforts to check the spread of  HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria among workers  in Africa.

The call was made recently at the 2011 Access Bank Friends Africa Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Workplace Policies Development workshop held at Lagoon Restaurant, Lagos.

Speaking at the occasion, wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, disclosed that the pandemics were retarding economic development and causing low productivity in the continent since Africa is the worse hit by the scourge.

She added that the state government was committed to partnering with organizations to check the pandemics.

On his part, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Founder of Friends Africa, Dr. Akudo Ikemba, said: “By now, all Africans are aware of the diseases of HIV/AIDs, TB and malaria, but knowing about something is very different thing from understanding it,” she said.

She added that all efforts should be geared towards the prevention, detection and treatment of the diseases since African businesses benefit most from a healthy Africa.

She regretted that the diseases contribute directly to low productivity and increased company costs. The Friends Africa chief added that   the workshop was designed to give participants the tools they need to create and boost practice approaches, as well as enable them address the negative impacts of the diseases on businesses.

Ikemba added that the workshop was a follow-up to an inaugural one held  last year in three Nigerian cities where Access Bank and Friends Africa trained 250 Nigerian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

She praised Access Bank for sponsoring the workshop and for its involvement in the war against the three pandemics.

She added that emphasis was placed on the SMEs at the workshop because they are the real drivers of the economy since they cater for the needs of the majority.

“But to help these companies flourish, we must ensure that they have the tools available to sustain healthy businesses by checking this scourge among their workers,” she said.

-Latest Nigeria Health News

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By Olamide Olaywola 

Source: The Guardian