Africa-Press – Mauritius. Instead of stigmatising people infected with HIV/AIDS, it is imperative to accompany them in their treatment and assist them in developing a sense of belonging to the society.
Indeed, the endeavour of combatting HIV/AIDS in Mauritius will not be feasible without the continuous collaboration of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the community at large, in raising public awareness on the preventive measures.
This was the gist of the message of the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal, on the occasion of World AIDS Day, observed today, at the Victoria Urban Terminal, in Port Louis.
Personnel from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, representatives from the A. I. L. E. S NGO, amongst others were also present on the occasion. In a statement, Minister Jagutpal recalled that around 14 000 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Mauritius.
However, he deplored that till date, merely 9 000 cases, including 117 children, have been registered. On this score, he called for the cooperation of the civil society to help identify and provide treatment to the HIV/AIDS infected persons.
In addition, Dr Jagutpal underlined that the initial active cases of HIV/AIDS were mostly prevalent among drug addicts, and strategies to curb the spread of the virus through the provision of syringes were implemented. Nonetheless, he cited the transmission from mother to child as becoming another major challenge among the general population today.
The Health Minister stressed on the pivotal role of education and training in reducing the HIV/AIDS positive cases, adding that relevant information on preventive and protective measures to be taken is being communicated to the public.
Moreover, Dr Jagutpal announced that 15 000 self-testing kits will reach the country tomorrow. He further informed that pharmacists from the public and private sectors are currently undergoing a training on the usage of these self-testing equipment so that they can impart this knowhow to potential users.
Anyone can carry out the test and such an initiative can protect the person, his or her partner and others in the community, he reaffirmed. Outlining the World Health Organization theme of World AIDS Day for this year, ‘Let Communities Lead’, Dr Jagutpal recalled that the centre Banian, the first community-based centre for sexual health, was inaugurated by the PILS NGO, last year, in Port Louis.
So far, over 125 people have availed themselves of the services provided in regards to HIV/AIDS, he pointed out. It is recalled World AIDS Day is commemorated annually on 01 December.
To mark this occasion, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has organised a series of activities aiming at examining the sexual health of the public through HIV/AIDS testing, as well as sensitising them through the provision of information and pamphlets, and the distribution of condoms.
For More News And Analysis About Mauritius Follow Africa-Press
