UNICEF Country Rep. speaks On AIDS In Liberia

A renowned medical doctor at the J.F.K. Medical Hospital, has attributed the rapid spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the country to lack of information about the virus.

Dr. Moses Pewee expressed fear that if the information gap is not broken, many Liberians will be affected with the deadly virus that may even claim the lives of thousands of persons in years to come.

Serving as keynote speaker during a program held to climax a ten-day translators workshop at the headquarters of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) where he deputized for Dr. Cyrille Niameogo, UNICEF Resident Representative to Liberia, Dr. Pewee indicated that it is the responsibilities of all well-meaning Liberians to join the fight against HIV/AIDS so as to save the lives of many Liberians who are at risk.

He then lauded the Universal Evangelistic Ministries (UEM) and the NACP for the workshop which he said has equipped translators with the knowledge required about HIV/AIDS.

He called on participants to effectively and efficiently use accepted words in their translation of HIV/AIDS materials.

Making remarks, NACP boss, Mrs. Sarah Beysolow-Nyanti cautioned the press to disseminate information about HIV/AIDS properly because misinformation about the killing disease has led millions of people to their early graves. She emphasized that the fight against HIV/AIDS is a unique undertaking and must be encouraged by every sector of society.

The NACP Program Officer said her organization has targeted four counties: Margibi, Grand Bassa, Rivercess and Montserrado counties for the first phase of the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Also speaking at the well-attended program, the chairman of the House Standing Committee on Health, Rep. Willie Z. Varney admonished Liberians to pray for peace in the country, noting that without peace there can’t be any successful program of such nature.

Rep. Varney pointed out that the House of Representative has introduced a bill on the control of HIV/AIDS and it is expected to be passed soon.

Speaking earlier, the Executive Director of the Universal Evangelistic Ministries (UEM), Madam Irene George said her Ministries has begun a journey on the fight against HIV/ADIS in the various dialects.

"The lives of our people are at stake, the young as well as the old, literate or illiterate. So, it becomes our responsibilities to adapt methodologies that will prove effective in the implementation of our mandate to the target group," Madam George asserted.

Speaking further Madam George intimated that UEM in collaboration with NACP held the ten- day vernacular translators workshop to empower their staff for the task ahead.

"To achieve our goal UEM and NACP have demarcated Liberia into four regions," she noted.

She then outlined the objectives of the workshop which include; identifying land boundaries between local tribes in one county; identifying the number of tribes in the same county, among others.

Personalities who attended the program were Sen. George Kpenneh of Margibi County, Rev. M. Wolo Belleh - Senior Pastor, Bethel World Cathedral, among others.