The National Agency for Control of Aids (NACA) on Sunday commenced a free HIV counseling, testing and medical outreach targeted at covering 5,000 beneficiaries in Bayelsa.

Addressing the combined medical team at BGGS, Ovom community in Yenagoa, Dr Rosemary Adu, Head of SURE-P unit of NACA said the team will render free medical services for the next four days in Yenagoa LGA in Bayelsa.

According to Dr Adu, the agency was collaborating with the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) on the scheme in 30 states of the federation.

She explained that the programme was a component of the Presidential Comprehensive Response Plan to test 50 million Nigerians for HIV between 2014 and 2015.

The plan, she said, included free medical care for multiple diseases including Malaria, diabetes and hypertension as well as HIV treatment to an additional 600,000 HIV positive patients across the country.

Adu said that NACA was working at reducing new HIV infections and combating stigmatisation of HIV infected persons.

She noted that some 1000 persons have so far been tested for HIV and provided medical care for other health conditions like malaria, hypertension and diabetes.

Mrs Ebi Sunday, one of the beneficiaries, commended the Federal Government for the free medical scheme and urged the organisations to sustain the exercise and make it frequent.

Also, Mr Joe Samuel, who benefitted from the medical service, said he received medications after seeing a medical doctor.

Several healthcare professionals were on hand to counsel prospective beneficiaries during their waiting period for the tests and consultation with doctors

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