By David Onilede
The Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Human Virology in Nigeria(IHVN) Dr Patrick Dakum, said the institute would soon commission its N2 billion seven-floor twin tower in the first quarter of 2019.
Dakum stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.
He said the construction of the building, which is situated along Airport Road in the FCT, has already reached the fourth floor.
Dakum said that the success being achieved in the construction of the building could be attributed to the diligence of members of the institute’s board of directors led by Prof. Umaru Shehu.
The chief executive officer said the institute had been partnering effectively with the federal government in the treatment of HIV/AIDS and its other opportunistic infections among Nigerians.
He said the federal government had also been an effective partner with the institute in the treatment of HIV/AIDS in the country.
Dakum said the institute had been engaged in the treatment and management of HIV/AIDS patients and other related ailments in 35 states of the federation, including the FCT.
‘’ We have become an partner with the federal government in the management of infectious diseases throughout the country by providing support principally to controlling infectious diseases and contributing to their treatment,’’ he said.
He recalled that the IHVN was established in 2004 through the collaboration with the institute for Human Virology in Baltimore by Professor Robert Gallow, who co-discovered the HIV virus.
Dakum , however, said that the IHVN has evolved from working for the prevention and treatment of HIV /AIDS treatment to treatment and prevention of Tuberculosis and other allied diseases to now include treatment of cervical and breast cancer.
‘’We have also evolved from working in six states in2004 to 15 states currently ,’’Dakum said.
