Thursday 5 November 2015

KASESE TO HOST THIS YEAR’S NATIONAL WORLD AIDS DAY COMMEMORATION ON 1ST DECEMBER

By; John B. Thawite


Kasese has been selected to host this year’s national function to commemorate the World AIDS Day on 1st December 2015, the Uganda AIDS Commission has revealed.

A document from the office of the Director-General of the Uganda AIDS Commission Director-General, Dr Christine Ondoa, says His Excellency the President of the Republic of Uganda will grace the function as the chief guest.

The day, which is held rotationally in different district each year, will be marked under the theme: “Getting to Zero, My responsibility, which is within the Global theme for the World AIDS Campaign of “Zero new HIV infections, zero stigma and zero AIDS-related deaths.”

Chairing the first meeting of the Kasese District Organising Committee on Monday, an Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, Mr. Johnson Mutungwanda, said the function will be held at Nyaksanga Play Ground in Kasese Municipality, because the venue is central and spacious enough.

In a press statement issued statement issued Thursday 5th December, 2015, the Kasese District Information Officer and District HIV Focal Person, John B. Thawite, urged general public has been urged to re-examine their roles and commitments to the prevention and control of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.


“We appeal to all leaders at various levels - civil society, private sector and faith-based organisations, groups and individuals - to cooperate and embrace the campaign and as one way of preventing further transmission of HIV and to mitigate its effects among the infected and the affected,” John Thawite said.

He said the World AIDS Day theme is meant to remind us that getting to zero will be realised only if individuals take measures to protect themselves and their loved ones from getting infected and to ensure that those infected and affected are not demonised.

In the press statement, Mr. Thawite, therefore asked the general public to turn up in large number to accord the commemoration the importance it deserves.

Significance of World AIDS Day

World Aids Day is one of the most recognized international health days in the world.

It serves as a platform and an opportunity to raise awareness and advocacy, community mobilisation and re-energising the role of leaders at household, community and national levels towards HIV prevention and control.

World AIDS also serves to take stock of the achievements, challenges, commemorate those who have passed away and to re-dedicate ourselves to the fight against the epidemic.