Simbachawene to flag off Kili challenge against AIDS

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Simbachawene to flag off Kili challenge against AIDS
Simbachawene to flag off Kili challenge against AIDS

Africa-Press – Tanzania. MINISTER of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Coordination and Parliament) Mr George Simbachawene is expected to flag off this year’s Kilimanjaro Challenge Against HIV and AIDS (Kili Challenge 2022) scheduled for July 15, this year.

This was revealed on Tuesday by the Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Stephen Kagaigai, during a presser concerning the annual event.

“This year’s event will be for the first time heralded by a fund raising from various stakeholders who will be attending the event.

This will be before the launching of the main event on July 15, 2022 to be held at the Machame Gate of Kilimanjaro National Park (KINAPA),” he said.

He added, “During the event, the guest of honor will flag-off climbers and cyclists, whereby the latter (cyclists), will peddle around Africa’s highest mountain from Machame Gate before completing their tour at the KINAPA’s Mweka Gate on July 21, 2022 to be received by the Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner.”

Mr Kagaigai said that during the seven days of mountain trekking and cycling, there will also be various services that will be provided to the people at the Machame and Mweka gates.

“These services include HIV education and testing, Covid-19 education and vaccination as well as blood donation; I would like to take this opportunity to call on the people to come forward in large numbers to access these services as well as to donate blood to those in need,” he said.

He said participation of people in big numbers will be one of their contributions to the fight against HIV and AIDS, especially considering the fact that the funds which will be raised will be used for the care of AIDS victims, including orphans. Speaking during the presser, the Tanzania Commission for Aids (TACAIDS) Executive Director (EDR), Dr Leonard Maboko said that since the launch of the Kili Challenge 20 years ago, the event had contributed a lot in minimising the effects of the disease.

“The number of new infections has dropped from 72,000 persons a year two years ago, to the current number of 68,000 a year, while the number of death rates has been reduced by 50 per cent in the past ten years”, he noted.

He added, “The trend is good because even the number of persons who know their health status as far as the pandemic is concerned has risen from 61 per cent in 2016/2017 to 87 per cent this year”.

He said since the inception of the Kili Challenge which is being implemented in partnership with the Geita Gold Mine company (GGM) through Public Private Partnership (PPP), more than 12b/- had been raised and that the funds have been donated to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the fight against AIDS and others have been directed to the government established Aids Trust Fund (ATF).

“Two years ago, more than 800m/- was provided to 20 NGOs, six of which are those with members of people living with HIV and AIDS, whereby all the organisations have done well as far as the utilisation of the funds is concerned.

He called on other stakeholders to emulate GGM and turn out in large numbers to make their contributions for the Kili Challenge and ATF.

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