Keeping HIV and AIDS a Priority
1998-2008, 20 years ago, the international community started celebrating World AIDS Day every 1st December as an opportunity to assess the impact of the effort and commitment, the response from governments, international organizations and civil society organizations and the progress made so far. Grassroots Franciscans are on the front line, bringing effective faith response to the challenges. All over Africa, Franciscans are leading various programmes for prevention, care, treatment and support of people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS.
Prevention activities include radio programmes, door-to-door sensitization campaigns, Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT), support group initiatives, targeted group sensitization and awareness raising initiatives to couples, single mothers and sexually active young people.
In addition, Franciscans are delivering treatment, care and support to not only the infected but also to those affected by HIV and AIDS. Palliative care is a comprehensive treatment approach that takes into account the Persons Living with HIV (PLWHIV) and also his/her environment, including family, work as well as other activities he/she is involved or interested in. This approach has helped Franciscans improve their service in terms of home-based care delivery and antiretrovial treatment (ARV). Food security and the importance of nutrition for those with HIV and AIDS has become a key issue.
Franciscans International empowers and strengthens the active grassroots Franciscans through trainings so that they may improve their services to those in need. Franciscans International has conducted trainings all over sub-Sahara Africa in 2007 and 2008, focusing on new challenges such as palliative care, the impact of nutrition and HIV & AIDS preventative methods.
After 20 years of commitment and action, the pandemic continues to kill millions of people around the world. Franciscans International and Franciscans around the world strongly believe that HIV and AIDS aid must remain a priority and states must keep their promise to increase effort to eradicate the disease.
Today, more than ever, is the time to bolster effort and keep the promise. It is high time to lead, empower and deliver.
