M

NEW MOMBASA HIV / AIDS 
CENTRE OPENS

COASTWEEK - - A new HIV and AIDS Information Centre has been opened in Mombasa, courtesy of Family Health International, with funding from USAID. 

The centre is situated in Sheetal Plaza, off Moi Avenue (past Mombasa Hamburger House) on the First floor.

It has been set up by Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium (KAN-CO), which is a leading HIV and AIDS Network for NGOs, CBOs and Religious Institutions all over Kenya, committed to HIV / AIDS Prevention, Care and support through provision of current and practical information.

The centre's main goal is to provide information and educational materials on HIV and AIDS to all community members, either through clients directly visiting, or through various member organizations.

Noni Mumba, Manager KANCO HIV and AIDS Information and Resource Centre, explained:

"The KANCO Resource Centre will offer all members of the public, NGOs, CBOs and all other organizations, including health-care professionals; access to books, journals, video cassettes, Internet and CD-ROMs on HIV/ AIDS and other medical conditions.

"We will also provide age-specific, AIDS prevention tutorials that will help prepare young people to avoid the disease.

"It is true that awareness on HIV and AIDS is high.

"However, it is the quality of information that is questionable. Fear and stigma will still be deep rooted in the community, unless the right information is availed.

"This is what we are aiming for.

"As an added bonus for those in the Medical Profession, they will be taken through the basics of computers (for those with no computer knowledge).

"As a result, they will be able to do Internet and CD-ROM Searches on their own afler a few days."

Available at the centre are books, newsletters, journals for reading and borrowing, video cassettes for watching and borrowing, Internet and CD-ROM Searching.

Medical Practitioners are encouraged to access the Internet and CD-ROM facility as it is free of charge, and there are a variety of medical conditions available for reference and research purposes.

Further inquiries can be directed to the Resource Centre Manager through telephone numbers 011-314065 or email

resourcecentre.msa@thi.or.ke

Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002. Coastweek Newspapers Ltd. 
All rights reserved.

Comments and questions: coastwk@africaonline.co.ke