HIV/AIDS: US Government promises greater assistance

The Embassy of the United States of America in Cameroon targets the fight against Boko Haram and diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

The Deputy Chief of Missions in the Embassy of the United States of America in Cameroon, Mathew Smith says his government is more focused on the fight against the terrorist group Boko Haram in Cameroon and other ills that affect the population such as HIV/AIDS.

He was speaking in Yaounde on June 21, 2016 during a send forth ceremony to Dr Omotayo Bolu, Cameroon’s Country Director of the US-based Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Mathew Smith, appreciated government’s efforts in fighting the AIDS pandemic assisted by CDC partners such as the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) Health Services. He said the US government was committed to deploy more assistance in the fight against the AIDS pandemic whose eradication has been major preoccupation of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention based in Atlanta, USA.

The partners of the CDC that now constitute a consortium, praised the outgoing Director of the organization, Dr Omotayo Bolu who was leaving Cameroon to work in neighbouring Nigeria. The Director of the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services, Professor Tih Pius, speaking on behalf of the partners, described Dr Omotayo as a visionary leader who inspired the various teams on the field to work to reduce HIV/AIDS in all parts of the country. “Her impact in high in reducing the mother-to-child transmission rate of AIDS in Cameroon,” he said.

Tih Pius further said that, “Dr Omotayo is a spice that when you put in your food, you will eat the food over and over and would want to preserve it for future consumption.”  All the CDC partners besides handing memorable gifts to Dr Omotayo, described her as a woman of vision and humility and thanked her, stating that many people in Cameroon owe their lives to her. This was because of the fire she ignited in the fight against HIV/AIDS.