Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
AFTER moving from a single-day commemorative event, different events meant to mark World Aids Day, are in full swing in Manicaland aimed at strengthening the HIV Aids response.
The World Aids Day commemorations started in 1988 and from that period to 1998 was a one-day event, but there after became a campaign with pre-launch activities, the launch, and post-launch activities, with the aim of strengthening the HIV Aids response.
As part of the World Aids commemorations, under the auspices of the National Aids Council (NAC), journalists from diverse media houses are currently touring health centres in communities in Makoni, Chipinge, and Chimanimani districts of Manicaland, while an outreach programme is also underway in the Odzi area.
A media awards ceremony, meant to honour outstanding journalists in HIV Aids information dissemination, will be held in Mutare on Thursday.
All these events will culminate in a provincial commemorative event in Zimunya on Friday.
NAC Manicaland provincial manager, Mr Artwell Shiridzinomwa said:
“All these events are meant to strengthen and foster a sense of responsibility in our communities when it comes to our health. Your health is your responsibility. People should shun poor health-seeking behaviours. This is the reason we have moved from commemorating World Aids Day in a single day and transformed it into a campaign.”
The national World Aids Day commemorations took place in Umzingwane, in Matebeleland South, on Monday.
The World Aids Day is annually commemorated on December 1.
The theme for this year’s World Aids Day commemorations is: “Overcoming disruptions, transforming Aids response”.
The theme was tailored to suit the changing HIV Aids interventions funding model, in view of global political trends, whereby much of the donor funding was abruptly withdrawn, hence the need to overcome such disruptions.
