Tokelo Rasephei
FINANCE Minister, Moeketsi Majoro, on Friday handed over 10 vehicles and three mobile clinics to the Ministry of Health as part of efforts to tackle the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Speaking at the handover ceremony in Maseru, Dr Majoro said his ministry had sourced the vehicles with assistance from the Global Fund, adding it was envisaged that the vehicles and mobile clinics would help to reduce the high HIV/AIDS incidences which were second only to those of Swaziland in the world.
He further said that two mobile clinics would be given to Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation-Lesotho (BCMCF-L) to facilitate interventions targeted at youths and adolescent girls.
BCMCF-L provides practical hands-on training in HIV, tuberculosis and general child health as well as other medical expertise and professional training to hospitals and health centres.
The other mobile clinic will be given to the Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association (LPPA) to support the Sex Workers Programme earmarked for Maputsoe.
Dr Majoro said the vehicles would support primary healthcare activities in Butha-Buthe (two cars), Quthing (two), Qacha’s Nek (two), Thaba-Tseka (one), Mokhotlong (two) and the National Referral Laboratory in Maseru (one).
The LPPA Chief Executive Officer, Lerotholi Pheko, thanked the Finance Ministry and said they would ensure the equipment was used for its intended purpose.
For her part, the Baylor Executive Director, Qents’o Mohapi, said the donation would go a long way in assisting them to carry out their duties of providing HIV/AIDS services to youths.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Manthabiseng Phohleli, thanked the Ministry of Finance and urged Baylor and LPPA to use the donations in eradicating HIV/AIDS in the country.