Africa-Press – Botswana. International AIDS Candlelight Memorial is a time for all to remember lives lost to AIDS, as well as an opportunity to honour those who dedicated their lives to helping people living with and affected by HIV.
Member of Parliament for Kanye East, Mr Prince Mosanana shared these at the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial in Kanye on Sunday themed, “We Remember, We Rise and We Lead”.
He said commemorating the day was a reminder to communities that people living with HIV were more than their diagnosis, and that they too matter. He said they deserve love, respect, and the freedom to pursue their dreams. He emphasised that in solidarity a stronger and compassionate society can be realised.
He called on all to work towards a world free of stigma, discrimination, and where all are valued, respected, included and have worth, adding that it was a dream that those living with HIV yearned to achieve. Mr Mosanana said intensified and accelerated fight for the health and rights of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) called for a collective participation and meaningful involvement of PLHIV.
He said PLHIV were strategic partners in the fight against stigma and discrimination. He said for PLHIV to publicly talk about their status not only gives all courage and determination to collectively continue fighting, but also gives a better understanding of the urgency to eliminate stigma and discrimination.
He said that PLHIV play a critical role in supporting newly diagnosed individuals as their lived experience and understanding of the disease make them invaluable in treatment, care, and support. As such he said their voices could lead towards lasting solutions.
Mr Mosanana said that despite improved access to HIV treatment and more people living longer, a new challenge had surfaced with indication of many PLHIV increasingly affected by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancers.
He said NCDs, often were a result of aging and required that care and support systems be broadened to ensure living longer also means living healthier and with dignity. He highlighted the need to intensify HIV response to meet new challenges as they arise.
He said that lack financial resources was limiting due to competing national priorities, as well as Botswana being now classified as an upper middle-income country.
Mr Mosanana said that HIV was still not yet under control and as such the nation must be innovative and strategic in adapting strategies such as tailored and targeted interventions. He said prevention and elimination of HIV was possible, and could only be achieved through renewed commitment and collective responsibility.
Source: dailynews
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