MINISTER APPEALS TO LESOTHO ASSOCIATION OF NON-FORMAL EDUCATION ( LANFE) TO DEDICATE ITS EFFORTS ON HIV/AIDS PREVENTION
  The Minister of Health and Social welfare, Dr. Motloheloa Phooko has appealed to Members of Lesotho Association of Non-Formal Education (LANFE) to dedicate their efforts to minimising the rate of HIV/AIDS infection in their communities through out the country. The Minister made the appeal during the closure of LANFE HIV/AIDS workshop, attended by all members from different parts of the country at Anglican Center, in Maseru on Friday 26 July, 2002.


Dr Phooko urged participants to go back to their respective areas to be examples  and supervisors, educators, advisor, and supporters in all efforts to fight against HIV/AIDS in their communities. "Let those who have been infected and affected get the greatest support from you", the Minister indicated. He asked them to go and implement the knowledge and skills they have acquired and strive to change the attitude and behaviors of their communities towards the pandemic. He encouraged them to team up with other groups dealing with health issues in their areas, including traditional doctors to make their work more productive and to discourage those whose practices promote HIV/AIDS infection.


The President of LANFE, Mr. Sello Monamoli, said the workshop was intended for the participants to give reports on what they had been doing in regard to the promotion of Home Based Care for HIV/AIDS patients, which they discussed at the workshop held earlier this year. He indicated that the major problem, which was common in all the reports is that the participants could not reach all the patients within their communities because of the inaccessibility of some of the areas, and those that were reached was because they had to use their personal money.


They said poor as they are, it was difficult for them to assist the patients most of which are living in a terrible situation of poverty. Mr Monamoli appealed to the government to assist and support LANFE with funds to make its work easier in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

26 July, 2002.

  SOURCE: LENA