Airtel Nigeria has partnered with the National Agency for the Control of AIDs (NACA) to form an information and counselling centre aimed at fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS in the west African country.
Rajan Swaroop, Airtel Nigeria MD, said Airtel is committed to improving the health and welfare of its customers and the entire Nigeria as a whole.
Swaroop explained the partnership is just another opportunity to serve Nigerians and the company was proud to associate with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS in the endeavour.
Nigeria with a population of 165 million has 3.6 percent — or 3.3 million — of the people living with living with HIV Aids. Some 220,000 people die from HIV/AIDS related infections each year.
Speaking at the launch of the centre last week Friday in Abuja, Swaroop said since the figures are projected to increase if no sound prevention measures are ensured, it prompted the partnering.
Airtlel Call Centre will have 100 lines dedicated to the project to provide HIV/AIDS information and counselling in different languages including English, Pidgin English, Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo languages.
Airtle will also store and send information on HIV AIDS via a short code to its subscribers nationwide in addition to providing access for people to speak to call agents at the NACA call centre.
NACA director general Prof John Idoko hailed the partnering saying it made his organisation better placed to tackle the spread of the disease.
Prof Idoko added Nigerians can access information on the disease by dialling 6222.
He exxplained the centre would both serve as information hub and public enlightenment platform carefully designed to grow the knowledge of HIV and AIDS among the people.
The call centre project is a Public-Private-Partnership programme between NACA, Airtel and the Nigerian Communications Commissions (NCC).
