16th May, 2011
The Lagos State Government has counselled 71,749 HIV patients in the last two years.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Social Development, Dr. Dolapo Badru, who disclosed this said in 2010 alone, 44,819 patients were counselled on the need not see themselves as outcast just because they were infected with He said the Medical Social Work Service of the ministry had been very effective in doing its job which made them go to the various general hospitals in the state to attend to the needs of HIV patients.
Badru added that between 2010 and now, the social workers had attended to the needs of 61,618 different patients.
Some of those attended to were 309 cases involving destitute, 721 indigent patients and counselling of 9,327 blood donors, among others.
In the area of family social service, Badru disclosed that 8,115 cases were registered with the ministry, while 4,868 matrimonial cases were recorded as well as 232 paternity denial/disputes.
According to him, there were 1,270 maintenance cases, 602 legal custody cases, 352 pre-marriage counselling, 1,645 juvenile cases out of which 80 were transferred to other states and 50 others repatriated to other countries.
The special adviser added that 71 juveniles were taken to the state’s rehabilitation homes for correction, while 69 others were still awaiting transfer.
Badru disclosed further that 165 youths were rehabilitated from substance abuse, while 144 patients were abandoned in various state hospitals in the last two years.