Africa-Press – Lesotho. His Majesty King Letsie III appealed for compassion and preservation of lives against the HIV pandemic. “Those with HIV should strictly adhere to their treatment regimens
because this will enable them to live healthy, long and productive lives,” he pleaded. This he said at the commemoration of the World AIDS Day on Tuesday at the Royal Palace Grounds in Maseru.
This day is annually observed with a specific theme; the theme for this year is Global solidarity, shared responsibility. “COVID-19 had invaded us while we were still battling scourge
of HIV/AIDS, as we commemorate this year’s World AIDS Day we remain alive to challenges that still lie ahead in our quest to eradicate HIV/AIDS by 2030,”
the King noted. Taking stock of the unveiled Lesotho Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (LePHIA) preliminary results on Monday in Matsieng by Her Majesty Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso, His Majesty applauded the feat.
His Majesty said the findings “represent much needed form of encouragement”. The King referred to the findings as “encouraging news” and a “remarkable progress”.
He also thanked the development partners for their “unrelenting support” in their responses towards HIV. The results established that the country had fared well in
meeting the United Nations AIDS Programme (UNAIDS) target that by 2020 the country is expected to reach the 90-90-90 target. According to the LePHIA Lesotho is
now at 90-97-92 target. That is of the interviews, 90 percent know their status, 97 percent who had tested positive are on treatment and the 92 percent
were virally suppressed. “The survey provides evidence of the excellent achievements of Lesotho’s HIV program. It demonstrates that Lesotho has achieved the first
of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets and has exceeded the second and third 90 targets. “These findings position the country well as it aims to achieve the even more ambitious new UNAIDS targets of reaching 95-95-95 targets
by 2025,” reads the press statement in pertinent part. The newly appointed Chairperson of the National AIDS Commission (NAC) Reverend Ntokwenzani Xana made a call to the effect that this
year’s theme is in line with what the world had been yearning for initially adding that everyone has a responsibility to play in the fight against AIDS.
He added, “this year’s theme resonates with what the world has been trying to achieve from the onset, that is unity and shared responsibility in ending AIDS by 2030”.
The NAC incoming Chairperson also commended the strides made in the fight against AIDS as per the LePHIA findings unveiled earlier on this week. Rev. Xana noted that, “that is the progress worth
celebrating. If we get this right, eventually we will get to ending AIDS by 2030, which is the ultimate goal”. In its effort to discharge its mandate, he said NAC embarked
in an exercise to resuscitate the defunct District AIDS Committees a move which he argued will “keep with decentralization of the HIV/AIDS Response in the
country”. Also at the event, the National Religious Leaders signed a ‘Statement of Commitment’ as the “highlight” for the event, the gesture which His Majesty termed a “laudable step”.
Present at the event were the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers, Heads of Diplomatic Missions and the international organizations amongst other attendants. The World AIDS day was first commemorated in 1988 and it has been observed annually since then.
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