The Chief Executive of Lesotho AIDS Programme Coordinating Unit (LAPCA) Dr Mpolai Moteetee says it is the vision of National AIDS Strategic Plan to ensure Lesotho is HIV/AIDS free inSpeaking during a two-day consultative meeting between LAPCA and Districts AIDS task forces held at Maseru sun on Wednesday, Dr Moteetee said this vision could be met through educating community on prevention measures as well as through behaviour change

“Currently the children start sexual activities as early as 10 years and unless youths change that behaviour and learn to abstain from sex until marriage, the scourge will countinue to spread”, she added.She said there is a need to assist and support vulnerable groups of society such as disabled, orphans, women, sex workers and migrant workers who work far from their spouses so that they can be knowledgeable on preventive measures and be able to protect themselves from the disease.

Dr Moteetee also appealed to the organisations that work with HIV/AIDS not to forget involving herd boys and housemaids in their awareness programmes because these two groups are among the forgotten people in awareness activities and therefore they become vulnerable due to lack of knowledge. It is time to change the traditions that are dangerous to people’s health and continue with the cultures that are safe to community’s lives, she added.

The LAPCA Chief Executive called upon parents to talk to their children about safe sex from their tender age so that they can grow-up being aware of the killing disease. She said it is the vision of the National AIDS Strategic Plan to ensure that those who are infected receive quality care and support through counseling, good nutrition and protect their human rights.

AIDS is not the responsibility of the Ministry of Health alone adding that it is only when all people unite and implement the National AIDS Strategic Plan that the country will achieve to meet its vision of HIV/AIDS free in Lesotho.The meeting was organised by LAPCA with the aim of discussing with Districts AIDS Task Forces on effective means of combating the scourge and prioritising national HIV/AIDS activities in the country.

Participants are members of Districts AIDS Task Forces drawn from 10 districts in the country. During the meeting all districts will present their Districts AIDS plans to LAPCA. The plans will mainly focus on AIDS education, counselling, home-base care, and training of trainers, support of orphans as well as infected people.

This is the first consultative meeting to be held between LAPCA and Districts AIDS Task Forces since the establishment of LAPCA in March this year.LAPCA was established by the Government to mobilise resources from local and international donors in order to support AIDS activities in the country.

31 July, 2002