By Ngozi Anosike
A non-governmental organisation, the Rivers State Response Team on Violence Against Women & Children has lauded the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) over the donation of drugs and medical items to support free treatment and care for survivors of sexual and gender based violence in Rivers State.
The Coordinator of the team, Tombari Dumka-Kote, made the commendation after witnessing the donation of the medical items worth millions of naira to the Rape Clinic, Modern Primary Health Centre, Orugbom, and 23 other health facilities across the State.
Describing the donation as huge in value and quantity, he said the move by IHVN is not just a step in the right direction, but an encouragement to his team in sustaining the war against rapists and other perpetrators of sexual violence within the state.
He noted that the fight against sexual and gender based violence is everyone’s business, and called on well meaning individuals and corporate organizations within and outside the state to emulate the kind gesture by IHVN.
He also explained that the gesture has contributed immensely in material and financial support to rekindle the hope of traumatized survivors of sexual and gender based violence in the state over the last 8 years.
“While the state government is doing its best through a continuous support to the health facilities to provide free medicare to survivors of sexual violence, members of the corporate community as well as donor organizations are encouraged to join efforts in the fight by making donation of drugs and other items to make the work easy for responders whose services are purely voluntary” he emphasized.
Also speaking, the Head of Facility, Modern Primary Health Centre Orogbum, Dr. Nwabueze Blessing, appreciated the IHVN for their services in the state which have benefited patients and individuals, as well as helped to cut the spread of HIV in particular.
She said the donation will go a long way in helping the facility meet the needs of most survivors of sexual violence who visit the facility for assistance especially as the donation includes free medicine and rape kits.
On her own part, the representative of IHVN, Mary Nzeli informed that though the institute is in the state to prevent HIV, it has also extended its services to cover the prevention of cases of sexual violence, while supporting survivors of rape.
She noted that the support which is majorly for all sexual violence cases, provides free treatment of sexually transmitted infections and enjoined victims of rape and domestic violence to access the facilities for help as the drugs are free.
The IHVN representative listed other health facilities across the State that benefited from the donation to include; University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Ahoada General Hospital, Bori General Hospital, Terabor General Hospital, Isiokpo General Hospital, and Eleme General Hospital.
Others include, Okomoko General Hospital, Abua General Hospital, Degema General Hospital, Omoku General Hospital, Bonny General Hospital, Community Health Centre, Oyigbo, Umuebulle Cottage Hospital, and Police Medical Hospital.
Other health facilities are Meridian Hospital, Health of the Sick Hospital, Nchia Modern Primary Health Centre, Obio Cottage Hospital, churchil Modern Primary Health Centre, Ogu Modern Primary Health Centre, Alphonso Hospital, and Rumuodomaya Modern Primary Health Centre.
The drugs are to be administered free of charge to survivors of sexual violence.
