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By Chimaobi Nwaiwu
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
NNEWI— FEDERAL Government has been told to promulgate a law that will make Nigerians to stop all forms and manners of discrimination against those living with HIV/AIDS infection.Anambra State Branch chairman of Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), Dr. Peter Katchy made the call weekend in a lecture he delivered at the Onitsha Holiday Resort Hotels.He frowned at a situation where people, instead of helping them to cope with their condition, which according to them may not have been due to their mistakes or reckless living conducts and sacrilegious acts.
Dr Katchy pointed out that “the patients need care, food, drugs and love to live longer instead of dying in pains due to neglect and ostracism they receive from the general public, even their relations. “Care instead of discrimination is what the patients need from the government.The people and the government should do something serious to make sure that the patients are loved and cared for even if it means promulgating a law that will make it an offense for anyone to discriminate against them”.
He assured that the State Red Cross Branch would do its best to ensure that those living with the viruse are well treated just as it will continue the campaign against the viruse through its enlightenment workshops and seminars.Meanwhile, the Ogbaru Division of the Nigerian Red Cross Society has called for the state government's assistance in providing land for the building of a permanent office and motherless babies home, just as it has requested public spirited individuals and organizations to assist it acquire buses for emergency and disaster relief. Chairman of the division Prince Hyacinth Iwuji made the call during the belated celebration of the remembrance date of the founder of the Red Cross Society Worldwide, Sir Jean Henri Dunaut, where he also appealed for computers, typewriters cash and other office equipment, motorcycles for access to the rural areas in the division to discharge their duties.According to Iwuji “instead of the usual May 8 which the remembrance of the founder is done the division had to shift this year’s celeberation to June 27, for logistic reasons”.
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