Concord Times (Freetown)
Alimatu Fofanah
2 December 2008
President Ernest Bai Koroma, in his statement yesterday on the occasion of World AIDS Day, said Sierra Leone is less affected by the HIV/AID pandemic as compared to other countries in the sub-regions.
The president said the preceding rate for the disease in 2005 was estimated at 1.5% and that result from the just completed demographic and health survey indicates a pervasiveness rate of 1.5%, adding that sentinel surveillance of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics also shows a drop in the rate of the infection.
"This is an indication that our epidemic is about to stabilize and the investments in the fight against the disease is paying off. Our major challenge now is how to sustain and maintain this momentum," he stated.
President Koroma further noted that as a government, they will continue to deliver their promises in order to achieve nationwide access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010.
"This is a priority during the first term of my presidency so that we can halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS in Sierra Leone by 2015, thereby achieving the millennium development goals on HIV/AIDS. This can be achieved if we are all united in the campaign," Mr. Koroma said.
He said this year's commemoration was a historic one making the twentieth year of global efforts in the control of the spread of HIV/AIDS and care for those infected.
"Today, we join the global family of nation states to commemorate the 20th World AIDS Day and to highlight the need for continued education and the development of prevention initiatives to fight against the disease," he stated.
President Koroma said the commemoration, which was themed "Lead, Empower and Deliver" was abundantly clear that everybody is a leader and therefore has a responsibility to halt the spread of disease. As a responsibility to stopping the spread of the disease, president Koroma urged all Sierra Leoneans to have themselves tested to know their status so that many lives could be save.
He revealed that his government has completed the review of the national strategic plan for HIV/AIDS, a plan he said outlines priority areas in the fight against the disease.
From the review, president Koroma said they were able to come up with a two year operational plan (2009-10) to assist in achieving the nationwide access to prevent, treat, care and support those infected.
He called on all Sierra Leoneans to join the government in preventing the spread on the ailment, stating: "Time is running out! We cannot afford to lose this fight. We need you to join our efforts to make this happen".
He thanked all development partners for their support to his government and people of this country in the fight against the disease.
"My government and the people of Sierra Leone appreciate your efforts and look forward to continuing to work closely with you in this noble venture," he concluded.
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