Goma, 1 December, 2015 — The people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 2015 World AIDS Day on Tuesday, 1 December, 2015 under the global theme, “Ending the AIDS Epidemic as Parts of Sustainable Development Goals”. At the national level, the commemoration was held under the theme “More Commitments and more resources to end AIDS epidemic by 2030”.

The commemorative speeches on this occasion were focused on a wellness as well as on a preventative drive with a call for community mobilization. The major objective of the day, according to the various speakers at the ceremony, was to increase the number of people knowing their HIV status.

At the occasion, the message of the United Nations Secretary-General was read at various ceremonial grounds in the DRC by MONUSCO’s representatives with a call for more action and commitment. In the statement, the UN Secretary-General also paid tribute to the human rights defenders while acknowledging the global progress made so far in the fight against the epidemic.

“I applaud the staunch advocacy of activists. I commend the persistent efforts of health workers”, the statement read in parts. “World leaders have unanimously committed to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted in September”, the message stated.

The message of the United Nations Secretary-General was presented to the population of the North Kivu’s provincial Capital, Goma, by MONUSCO’s representative Abdoul Aziz Thioye, Deputy Director of Human Rights Office in Goma, who was accompanied at the ceremony by the Chief HIV/AIDS Officer, Dorcella Bazahica.

Addressing the press after the ceremony alongside the official of UNAIDS, MONUSCO’s representatives said this was an opportunity for all the stakeholders involved in the fight against HIV to sensitize more on the prevention of HIV.

Elsewhere, in Bunia in the Oriental Province, reports say the day was commemorated in full collaboration with the National AIDS Control Committee (PNMLS) and the provincial authorities who joined the population in a mass sensitization motor caravan across the town.

Meanwhile in the South Kivu town of Bukavu, the commemorative activities took place in the Kadutu Council Area where the representative of the South Kivu Governor presided at the ceremony alongside the representative of MONUSCO’s Head of Office for that locality. And in the nation’s capital, Kinshasa, the commemorative activities were launched by a top government official.

It is worthy of note that in the DRC, HIV is still widely stigmatized and this issue has been a big barrier in the fight against HIV. However, in order to end AIDS as a public health threat by the year 2030, the campaign to encourage people to know their HIV status and the fight against stigma and discrimination has to be implemented at every level in public institutions.

By Joseph Tabung Banah