Students, health workers, medical practitioners, members of the LGBTQ sector and other stakeholders gather to commemorate World AIDS Day Friday, December 1, as Zamboanga City reinforces campaign to heighten awareness on HIV-AIDS.
Spearheaded by the Zamboanga City Multi-Sectoral AIDS Council (ZCMSAC) and the City Health Office (CHO), the event, held at the KCC Mall Convention Center, was highlighted by various services specifically free flu and pneumonia vaccination and free HIV anti-body testing and fun games among others.
Themed “Let Communities Lead,” the event highlighted the role of communities in sustaining awareness on the prevention and control of HIV-AIDS as well emphasize the services available to treat and facilitate the needs of persons living with HIV, according to City Health Officer Dr. Dulce Miravite.
“Let us be aware that HIV is a health pandemic though it is silent,” Miravite said, as she cited the preventive strategies dubbed ABCDE which stands for abstinence from sexual activity, be mutually faithful, correct and consistent condom use, don’t do drugs and educate not only for the prevention of HIV-AIDS but also for other sexually transmitted diseases.
Present during the event were representatives from the Department of Health (DOH-9), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-9), Human Development and Empowerment Services (HDES), City Health Office – Reproductive Health Division, members of the ZCMSAC, various secondary schools, government and non-government agencies and other stakeholders.
The World AIDS Day, initiated in 1998 and observed on December 1, is a global event and is intended to be “an opportunity to reflect on the progress made to date, to raise awareness about the challenges that remain to achieve the goals of ending AIDS by 2030 and to mobilize all stakeholders to jointly redouble efforts to ensure the success of the HIV response.” (Sheila Covarrubias with reports from Bernadeth Lazaro, photo courtesy by Miljohn Mancao)
(Source: City Government of Zamboanga Facebook page)