DUSHANBE, November 29, Asia-Plus — Demonstration of feature films dedicated to problems of HIV/AIDS started at the Kokhi Jomi Complex in Dushanbe today.
According to press service of the Ministry of Health (MoH), the demonstration of films has been initiated by UNAIDS, Republican AIDS Center and the Potential Project.
MoH jointly with the National Coordination Committee to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Republican AIDS Center and the republican Center for Formation of Healthy Lifestyle have also planned a number of activities dedicated to World AIDS Days, which is marked on December1.
A forum under the slogan of “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise” will be held in office of the UNDP CO Tajikistan in Dushanbe on November 30.
The same day, specialists from the Republican AIDS Center will give a news conference to consider issues related to the HIV/AIDS situation in Tajikistan, implementation of the national HIV/AIDS-prevention strategy and further plans of Tajikistan’s AIDS-prevention centers and facilities.
According to the Republican AIDS Center, 872 HIV infection cases have been officially reported in the country so far. 162 of them have been registered over the first nine months of this year.
According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.2 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. During 2007 some 2.5 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.
Around 95% of people with HIV/AIDS live in developing nations. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world.
Started on December 1 1988, World AIDS Day is not just about raising money, but also about increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. World AIDS Day is important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.
World AIDS Day was originally organized by UNAIDS, who chose the theme after consultation with other organizations. In 2005 UNAIDS handed over responsibility for World AIDS Day to an independent organization known as The World AIDS Campaign (WAC).
The WAC’s slogan for their work is “Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise”. This is an appeal to governments, policy makers and regional health authorities to ensure that they meet the many targets that have been set in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and especially the promise of universal access to HIV treatment, care, support and prevention services by 2010. This campaign will run until 2010, with a related theme chosen for World AIDS Day each year.
The 2007 theme, “leadership”, highlights the need for innovation, vision and perseverance in the face of the AIDS challenge. The campaign calls on all sectors of society such as families, communities and civil society organizations – rather than just governments – to take the initiative and provide leadership on AIDS.
