UN celebrates World AIDS Day in Juba

28 Nov 2014

UN celebrates World AIDS Day in Juba

27 November 2014 - Increased awareness among South Sudanese people had pushed down HIV/AIDS prevalence in the country, UNMISS HIV and AIDS Unit Chief Michael Munywoki said in Juba today.

“South Sudan has got HIV prevalence of 2.6 per cent, according to the government release in March this year,” said Dr. Munywoki. “This is an indicator of reduction in the prevalence in the country compared to three per cent in 2009.”

UNMISS and other UN agencies were commemorating World AIDS Day, which is marked on 1 December every year.

The event was held at a protection site next to UN House in Juba with sports, speeches and awareness raising activities for the internally displaced persons.

“If I compare the needs assessment we did early this year and the knowledge we are seeing today, there is an increase (in awareness),” said Dr. Munywoki. “Now people are aware of how HIV is transmitted (and) the importance of HIV testing.”

The HIV/AIDS Unit Chief and Policy Advisor noted that a key strategy in fighting HIV is to empower women and girls.

He also urged youth to observe that some cultural practices like sexual and gender-based violence fueled the spread of HIV/AIDS.

“Let us bury the past and look forward as one community where each of us (is more) sensitive to gender-related issues,” he said.

Dr. Munywoki pointed out, however, that one of the challenges resulting from ongoing crisis in South Sudan was that some people living with HIV and AIDs had been unable to continue accessing antiretroviral drugs.

UNAIDS Country Director Renate Ehmer revealed that women make up half of the 150,000 people affected with HIV in South Sudan.

She added that about 14,000 people were receiving antiretroviral drugs compared to about 8,000 people two years ago, but noted that stigmatization was still a major issue affecting people living with HIV/AIDS.

Observing that South Sudan still lacked a good HIV/AIDs response system, Dr. Ehmer stressed that it was necessary to use multi-sectoral responses to curb the spread of HIV and AIDS.

“(HIV and AIDS) is not only a health issue,” she said. “It is also an educational and information issue.”

Dr. Ehmer said UNAIDS was working with the Ministry of Education to include sexual education in the school curriculum. She said health partners had also conducted over 20 per cent of a Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission programme.