CELEBRATION OF INTERNATIONAL AIDS DAY -
1 DECEMBER 2010
International Aids Day is approaching and in Lesotho we will be celebrating the day in Roma in the District of Maseru.
Among those present at the celebration, there will certainly be people who are affected by this disease. Also present will be officials from the Ministry of Health who will be delivering speeches, patients from the hospital and other specially invited guests.
There will be songs and gifts presented to clients.
What is the situation in Lesotho with regard to HIV and AIDS?
 Ten years ago Lesotho occupied third place in the world as regards the prevalence of HIV and AIDS with 23% of the population affected by the disease.
In response to this situation, a programme of training of personnel was set up and various projects focussing on HIV were begun. Homes were opened to care for children who had been orphaned because of AIDS and the subject was made part of the school curriculum.
Non Governmental Organisations also took a role in teaching about AIDS and making sure that people were well informed. The media too raised awareness among the population.
The heads of the various ChristianChurches have added their voices and released a statement and a pack which is designed to help priests to address the issue in their respective congregations. The Catholic Church has also issued its own statement and guidance to the people
.
The Religious Congregations have worked to address the problem by their participation in the various health care services that care for vulnerable children and patients affected by HIV. Many orphanages have been opened either by the Religious Congregations or by the Diocesan authorities.
Projects that are directly helping people are: Vulnerable Children, (MOVE), (OVCs) Choose life. Life Style Ambassadors, Kick Life, to mention but a few. All these projects target young people in the schools, in the Church, in places of work, prisons and wherever people congregate.
The projects are very creative using songs, poetry, drama and traditional Sesotho culture.
Our Sisters play an important role; we offer counselling to the patients, we take care of these who are infected and of T.B. patients by offering at least one meal per day to make sure that the patients have had something before they take their medications. We also supervise the patients in taking their medications.
The HIV and AIDS drugs are free; testing is also free, and we sisters participate in taking blood for testing. We work hand in hand with the Support Groups whose role it is to supervise patients in the villages where our clients live
.
All this is done is according to Government Policy.
Lately attention is being focused on mothers and children as there is a high maternal death rate. One of the millennium goals is the safeguarding of mothers and children and protecting them from anything that could be harmful to their health and wellbeing.
All measures are taken to ensure that mothers are taken care of during pregnancy, before delivery, during delivery and for seven days after delivery of their child. There is also close monitoring of the new babies until they are at least 2 years old. This is to make sure that the new born babies do not contract the infection while they are in utero and while they are still small. Usually the child’s immune system is more developed after the age of 2 years.
A BIG SURPRISE:
Unfortunately in spite of all these measures, the incidence of AIDS has gone up and it is now 23.6%. Looking at the statistics of other neighbouring countries, their numbers have gone down and it is only Lesotho that remains with an upward movement. There are many people with new infections reported in spite of all the measures taken.
What has been the cause of this?
The Church has embarked on a campaign to bring about behaviour change in young people.
Young people must realise that they are in charge of their own lives and that they must try to change their life style.
Adults are encouraged to be faithful to one partner.
The Catholic Church is now being approached by the Media and asked to talk about behaviour change because the slogan “condomize” or advocating the use of condoms is just not working.
We pray that this awareness may bring about a change in sexual behaviour.
Donors who in the past have contributed to the campaign to arrest HIV/AIDS seem to have lost interest because they say that they have poured so much money into the projects and yet there is no change. So they are turning their attention to other projects.
We do know however that people who take anti AIDS treatment, have an improved quality of life and the fear of HIV/AIDS is diminishing.
We pray that the Lord will give light, strength and power to all so that a change of mentality and behaviour will bring about a lasting solution to this problem. We pray also for all those who have died of AIDS. May they rest in peace!
We pray also that the orphans that are left behind may find help and support and love from all of us so that they will have a happy future.
By Hyacintha Moopisa.
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