OUR WORLD AIDS DAY EVENT

HIV/AIDS: FUTURE OF THE INFECTED AND AFFECTED

The impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic are many and far-reaching. Cities where rates are very high, will soon notice a “missing” adult population, leaving the city numerically dominated by the elderly and the child. The number of orphans are on the rise, an unusual situation in Africa, where extended families and communities traditionally provide childcare. The missing adult population has already begun to affect economic productivity across board, whether on farms,  in factories or offices. The future of every child has been proposed especially to be hard hit. AIDS is now by far the leading cause of death among teachers in the Côte d’Ivoire and Zambia has found it cannot replace the number of teachers who have died or fallen ill.

It is evident that HIV/AIDS is quite threatening, not only on the infected, but also on the affected. Most especially affected are the children, our the future of our generation. They remain helpless after this epidemic has claimed the life of their fathers and mothers.  So many bread-winners have lost their lives to this epidemic, leaving so many people wandering on the streets, allowing the youths to get involved in different vices. On the long run, there is increasing recognition that HIV/AIDS is not only a major threat to development, but also a threat to peace-building and human security. In reality, no one is totally free from the impact of HIV/AIDS. This suggests the need for urgent action.

As we plan towards another World AIDS Day event at HACEY, we hope to achieve with a strategic response:

· Societal Openness and Determination to Fight against Stigma

· Multi-sectoral and Multilevel Action

· Community-based Responses

· Social Policy Reform to Reduce Vulnerability

· Long-term and Sustained Response

· Learning from Observation, Experience and Information

· Provision of adequate resources to help both the infected and affected

We want you to join us as we plan to achieve a healthy world free from disease and sickness, we know you believe with us that with proper action, it is possible.

This report demonstrates that the AIDS epidemic is a true development crisis that threatens the social and economic fabric, and the political stability, of whole nations. Yet this report also shows that the epidemic is not out of control; It demonstrates the ability to manage and stabilize HIV rates or achieve a turnaround, and maintain very low prevalence rates, due to a range of factors, seeking to make significant progress on care and support for people both infected and affected.

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