Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Dec 02, 2010 News
“Education and awareness are the pillars upon which we can make life better for all,” said the Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, yesterday, at the World AIDS Day interfaith programme at the National Cultural Centre.
Under the theme “Universal Access and Human Right” the Ministry of Education, National AIDS programme Secretariat hosted a programme in recognition of World AIDS Day.
Dr. Ramsammy said that unless every citizen is empowered to use their knowledge we cannot make life better. In his attempt to edify the audience who were predominantly students, Dr Ramsammy gave a detailed explanation of the ABC strategy which represents, Abstain, Be faithful and condomize.
He said that this strategy has served us well, however, not good enough. The Minister said that through the ABC strategy, the world has seen a 20 percent reduction in deaths caused by HIV and a further 20 percent reduction in new cases of HIV infected individuals.
However “this is not good enough”, said Ramsammy.
The Minister said that the ABC strategy does not recognize contributing factors to the transmission of HIV; such as, domestic violence, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, rape and other such like social issues which makes it “not comprehensive enough”
Dr Ramsammy said that what Guyana needs is an ABC-Z strategy. “We must have a strategy that address all contributing factors such as, disparity, inequality domestic violence etc”. According to him, that is the only way to fully respond to the pandemic called HIV.
“HIV is part of our world,” said the Minister, “but that does not mean we will allow it to hold our hands and lead us down a road of destruction.”
Dr Ramsammy said that instead of allowing such, we can take another path; “a path where we all hold hands and stand up for our brothers and sisters.”
“HIV has to stop and it has to stop now. We must not wait for the next generation to stop the spread of this deadly virus, we have to stop it now so as to give the next generation a world that is free of HIV.”
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