HIV-free holidays:

Over 150 K’ba residents screened for HIV 

By Atemnkeng Evaristius, Linda Nkeze (UB Intern)
As HIV/AIDS remain a taboo in our society today, the Cameroon Association for the Protection and Education of the Child CAPEC, a Kumba-based NGO, has not been indifferent; they have joined hands with government and other partners to fight against the deadly disease.
    Reasons why, CAPEC organized a mobile clinic to sensitize and mobilize the population of Kumba to go in for free HIV screening. This was on Thursday 13 August 2015, at Ntam 3 Corners in Kumba III Sub-division and Hausa Quarters Fiango, Kumba II Sub-division,where some at least 150 persons voluntarily went in for the HIV screening.
    We however observed that most of those who went in for the screening were men; though women came around, most of them shied away from the exercise for yet unknown reasons.
    We also observed that young men and women were not enthusiastic about the exercise; only the old and middle aged, mostly Okada riders availed themselves for the tests.

    According to the CEO of CAPEC, Collette Ajomozu, the impact of HIV/AIDS and poverty in communities has been devastating. That is why the death toll and sickness
associated with poverty has stretched the resources of individuals, families, communities, organizations and service providers to the limit.
    It should be noted that CAPEC is currently running a three year project which targets three Districts in the Region and precisely in Meme Division. These include Kumba Central, Mbonge and Konye Health Districts, with an overall objective of mobilizing and empowering some 5000 families, about 25000 people, to wage fierce war against HIV/AIDS, with the aim of eliminating the virus in their lives, that of their families and the communities they belong to.
    The free screening exercise was coordinated by Valery Ayuk Agbor, the CAPEC financial and administrative assistant for Meme.
    Participants lauded the initiative and pleaded with the authorities of CAPEC to come out more often
for the same exercise.