Lesotho joined the World in commemoration of World Aids Day at the event held at Manthabiseng Convention Centre on Thursday.
This year’s theme is Let’s Equalize. HIV And Aids Services for All. Leave No One Behind.
Speaking at the event, His Majesty King Letsie III expressed gratitude to the Health Partners for their unwavering support, saying they bring hope for the good health and well-being of Basotho.
He said, ” Today we stand tall for the systems to be strengthened, many lives spared, and some new infections averted,” adding that dream of an AIDS-free Lesotho is closer to reality.
His Majesty noted that Lesotho has demonstrated resilience, perseverance, and commitment to end AIDS as a public health threat, noting that the last mile is a bit steep and slow with persisting inequalities and barriers that are weighing heavily on the national HIV and AIDS response.
He stressed that still Lesotho needs to reach and confront risks for the remote and hard-to-reach pregnant women, rural adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) without basic necessities, youth without employment, families that sleep without a meal, and all those who are stigmatized and discriminated against because of their HIV status, gender, sexuality, religion, and their geographical location.
He pleaded with the government of Lesotho and HIV stakeholders to continue a good fight, equalise and afford all the people of this country HIV and AIDS services, confront risks that threaten the progress made, eliminate inequalities of all forms, and leave no one behind in national AIDS responses.
He further noted that Lesotho must close the tap of new infections, invest more in preventing HIV, empower communities to lead HIV and AIDS response, protect the rights of all the people of this country and remove laws that stigmatize and discriminate against people living with HIV.
Also Speaking, the Prime Minister, Mr. Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane said Lesotho remains committed to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, notwithstanding all the challenges including; though not limited to COVID-19 and its unprecedented effects, the continuous emergence of other pandemics such as monkeypox, increasing unemployment and poverty levels, and slow economic recovery coupled with high inflation rates.
He said Lesotho has made significant strides in responding to HIV and AIDS, and it is commendable, stressing that the multi-sectoral response is now more pivotal than it has ever been for Lesotho to maximize efficiencies, maintain and sustain the investments made and accelerate all efforts to end inequalities, leave no one behind and rally together with everyone towards an AIDS-free Lesotho.
On the same token, National AIDS Commission(NAC) Chairman, Reverend Ntokwenzani Xana said there are a number of inequalities that Lesotho is still faced with, saying they range from structural, legal, and economic to programmatic inequalities.
He noted that these inequalities undermine the strides made in the HIV and AIDS response and further exacerbate risks and vulnerabilities.
He noted that the investments made for the accomplishments realised by the national response are humbling but there is still a lot that remains to be done.
NAC has steered the ship to guide HIV prevention and community engagement strategically; strengthen coordination, governance, and accountability and kickstart processes towards sustainability of the response.
As part of the celebration, helium balloons with printed inequalities were released.
Present to grace this event included Her Majesty Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso, Heads of Diplomatic Missions, Health partners, Cabinet Ministers, Senior Government officials, the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF), Lesotho Mounted Police Service and the general public (LMPS).
