The Ministry of Health will be hosting activities this week to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, in the lead up to World AIDS Day which will be observed on December 1.
The activities will be held from Wednesday November 25 to Tuesday December 1, 2015, under the theme ‘Getting to ZERO’, with the local slogan ‘Supporting Positive Living Community by Community’.
The objectives of the week of activities are to:
Promote HIV/AIDS as a serious public health problem
Show solidarity for people living with HIV/AIDS AND
Promote and Support Healthy living
The planned activities include:
Poster competition for primary schools
Public speaking competition for secondary schools, in collaboration with the Lions Club
Health District Activities
March and Rally
Dinner
Panel discussion
Radio programmes
The offering free health tests in Heritage Square on December 1st
The week of activities will be officially launched on Wednesday November 25, at 9:00 am, at the Ministry of Health’s Conference Room.
World AIDs Day provides an opportunity for persons worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV/AIDS and to show their support for people living with HIV/AIDS.
And, Sidney Joseph, representative of the World Aids Day Committee, while on the Police “On the Beat” programme hosted on NBC Radio, said that he has been living with the Virus for years. Joseph stated that he was able to disclose his status to the public 8 years ago because of support from various people. He noted that HIV positive people can live full lives.
Meanwhile, The HIV/AIDS Unit in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is putting plans in place to reach out to infected persons in neighboring Dominica, who were affected by the passages of tropical storm Erika in August of this year.
Director of the HIV/ AIDS and STI’s program in the Ministry of Health Wellness and the Environment Ferosa Roache told NBC news recently that her unit is finalizing plans to host an HIV/AIDS benefit dinner on Saturday November 28th.
Roache said the dinner forms part of a week of activities to commemorate World AIDS day 2015, on December 1st. Roache said the proceeds from the benefit dinner will be sent to persons in Dominica, living with HIV, specifically those who have been affected by Tropical Storm Erika.
