By Jethro Ibileke
A non governmental organization, Access to Health and Rights Development Initiative (AHRDI), has called for a workable collaboration with the Edo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ESPDA), to protect and promote the sexual health and rights needs of individuals and groups, especially sexual minorities in the Central Senatorial District of the State.
The Program Manager of AHRDI, Kackah Alex, made the call on Tuesday in Benin, when he led a delegation of officials of the NGO on an advocacy visit to the Executive Secretary of ESPDA, Dr. Colson Ohisikhian Oahimere.
He explained that visit was to inform the ESPDA boss of the project to see how they can work with the agency and draw from their experience and avoid running fowl of any buerocratic process or cause any harm in their quest to do good at the facilities and community levels.
Kackah added that the organization hopes that the partnership with the agency will help to improve access to health services and the quality of health services across the health facilities in the district.
“AHRDI envisions a society where sexual and reproductive health and rights needs of individuals are guaranteed, with young people playing a critical role, build capacity of community members towards responding to sexual and reproductive health needs to ensure effective community engagement and dialogue on health-related matters.
“AHRDI’s mission is to work with relevant stakeholders through capacity strengthening, advocacy, community mobilization, information dissemination and service delivery and to contribute to the HIV/AIDS response through providing services such as psychosocial support, palliative care, and management of opportunistic infections and diseases,” he said.
Responding, the Executive Secretary of Edo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ESPDA), Dr. Colson Ohisikhian Oahimere, disclosed that the goal of the Agency was to reduce incident of HIV/AIDS in the State.
He gave assurances of his agency’s readiness to work with AHRDI to enable it achieve its laudable goals.
AHRDI engages in research and documentation, human rights education, shelter and shelter management and networking as well as engaging in advocacy in implementing laws and policies that protect the rights of marginalized groups and individuals.
