WORLD AIDS DAY CELEBRATIONS IN CAMEROON

SW Commemorates AIDS Day

By Walter Wilson Nana

The Southwest Provincial Technical Group for the fight against HIV/AIDS did carry out a series of mobilisation activities across the Province on December 1 to commemorate AIDS Day.

Marching against HIV/AIDS

Commemorated under the theme "STOP AIDS: KEEP THE PROMISE" pupils and students marched across the municipality with placards carrying various messages on how to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Some of the placards read; "No To Premarital Sex, AIDS Kills…"

Christians, some elements of the Gendarmerie Brigade and members of the public all turned out to march against HIV/AIDS that took off at the esplanade of the Gendarmerie Brigade, Great Soppo.

Addressing the crowd, Rev. Dr. Nyansako-Ni-Nku, Moderator, Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC, stated that HIV/AIDS threatens the very future of a nation."AIDS diminishes life and brings trauma to the family. As a church, we have a duty to pass on the message to the family, especially our friends of the military, to exercise greater discipline and not to be reckless with our bodies," he cautioned.

He prescribed abstinence and urged the population to take to the advice of medical experts on what to do if they contract the disease.He reminded the population that HIV/AIDS does exist and that it is not a fairy tale.

"It has nothing to do with witchcraft, it is real. It is very much concerned with the way we live our lives. We should live a little more disciplined and take our moral considerations seriously, we can all check the spread of HIV/AIDS, especially if we take care of the other person's worth," he said.

In the concerted fight against HIV/AIDS the Moderator said they have trained and re-trained all their field pastors and many counsellors."The idea is that when they go back, they train other people in their congregations. It's a pyramid form, ensuring that the message goes from top to bottom, right to the grassroots," he said.

The Brigade Commander, Gendarmerie Brigade, Great Soppo, Mama, corroborated the Moderator. "AIDS does exist. It is not an imaginable disease as some people claim."
The Coordinator, Southwest Provincial Technical Group for the fight against HIV/AIDS, Dr. Rose Chia Fonchingong, was convinced that their message is going through.

"I'm very convinced. When I hear the population asking questions, I know they are convinced with what I have been telling them. The population is listening keenly and when they are lacking somewhere, they go searching for information on HIV/AIDS on the Internet and other means.

But we want to ensure that they get the right messages. That is what I'm pleading for. The population should not listen to just any body talk about HIV/AIDS," she prayed.The Mayor, Buea Rural Council, Charles Mbella Moki, enjoined the population to show good behavioural practices to our everyday life.

"If we don't take care of our youths, we will not have a tomorrow. Our council will also take this message to our houses, neighbourhoods and to all the corners of our municipality," he said.

Civil society activist, Esther Omam of Reach Out, called on the Ministry of Public Health to bring in more credible and relevant civil society organisations in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
"The civil society is at the forefront to compliment the actions of the government to eradicate this pandemic within our communities.

Let the government not relent to work hand-in-glove with the relevant civil society groups to fight this scourge. There should be true partnership. The fight against HIV/AIDS is our problem not the government of Cameroon," she said.

Courtesy of thepostnewsline.com