Ministry of Education Should Lead Fight Against HIV/AIDS - Education Minister

The Ministry of Education and Training's role in the campaign to encourage people to voluntarily test for HIV/AIDS, started by the Prime Minister immediately after his release of the "turning a crisis into an opportunity: strategies for scaling up the national responses to HIV/AIDS" document, is of prime importance since it is this Ministry's responsibility to lead not only in educating those still negative about the benefits of maintaining their status but also in counselling those living with the disease.

 Hon. Lehohla signs a consent form before being tested

Launching the Ministry's voluntary confidential counseling and testing (VCCT) campaign in Maseru on May 21, the Minister of Education and Training, Mr. Lesao Lehohla said according to the latest statistics, 60 per cent of the civil service is HIV/AIDS positive and that life expectancy has declined from 60 to 39 years of age.

In the teaching service, where all the hope of the nation rests, the situation has reached alarming proportions because as yet to be confirmed reports indicate that half of the teaching population will have been infected by the disease in the next 10 years if strong measures are not taken immediately, Mr. Lehohla said.

"I have already said earlier that I do not regard children as the future but a national treasure, they are a part of the nation today. It is therefore incumbent upon us to see that they are included in national projects and programmes."

Mr. Lehohla said the launch was the beginning of a protracted campaign the Ministry of Education would undertake countrywide, incorporating the youth, to continue the war against the disease which seems bent on decimating the nation at an alarming rate.

Encouraging staff to do the voluntary testing, Dr. 'Molotsi Monyamane pointed out the benefits of VCCT, showing how people were not only able to know the status but would also be counselled on how to live comfortably and, for a long time, with the disease. 

Testing does not mean the positive will no longer get promoted at work, get loans from banks, scholarships. It is not even legal for insurance companies to refuse to give you life cover because you are positive. "It is no longer a death sentence with the necessary boosters and supplements," he said.

It is particularly important that people do the VCCT so that the epidemic can be arrested, especially seeing the rise in the number of AIDS orphans, from 70 000 in 2001 to the current 92 000.

A blood sample is drawn to be tested for the presence of HIV/AIDS

The official launch of the VCCT programme by the Prime Minister, Mr. Pakalitha Mosisili, in March this year made Lesotho the second country in the world after Brazil to encourage everyone to know their status, Dr. Monyamane said. 

Free information about HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention and counselling can be found at the website www.heart4africa.com . People should log in and register, for free, to be able to qualify for regular updates on developments in the field.

24 May 2004