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UNAIDS loses one of its most active African NGO collaborators to violence

UNAIDS loses one of its most active African NGO collaborators to violence

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One of United Nations’ most dedicated collaborators combating HIV/AIDS in Africa was killed in an armed robbery on his way home in the Nigerian commercial capital, Lagos, after a speaking engagement promoting social responsibility, officials said today.

Omololu Falobi served as an African NGO delegate to the Programme Coordination Board of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). He was also the executive director of Journalists Against AIDS (JAAID) and a founder member of the Africa Civil Society Coalition.

“His contribution to the fight against AIDS in Nigeria, African and globally are immense, and his life and death should inspire us to do more, and do it boldly,” said Dr. Peter Piot, UNAIDS executive director.

A UNAIDS statement from its Geneva headquarters said tributes were flowing in referring to Omololu’s “dedication, tremendous energy, passion and warm-hearted good nature.”

“Omololu will remain with us in our day-to day work and in our long-term battles, added Piot. Omololu is survived by a wife and two young children.

UNAIDS brings together the efforts and resources of ten UN system organizations to manage the global AIDS response.

Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria is award-winning media-based private NGO advocacy organization working on HIV/AIDS issues.

Nigeria has more than 4 million people with HIV and some 170,390 are expect to die this year because of the virus, according to Nigeria health statistics.

UNAIDS is co-sponsored by UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank. Based and from its Geneva secretariat directs on the ground work in more than 75 countries world wide.