The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s campaign to halt and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country is being extended to encouraging people above the age of 12 years to know their status. 

The Know Your Status plan will be launched simultaneously with the opening of the children's centre of excellence at Botšabelo in Maseru on December 1, according to spokesperson Ms ‘M’amorao Khaebana.

The programme aims ensuring that people 12 years old and over know their status by 2007 and builds on the Know Your Status campaign that was launched in 2004.

World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Director of HIV/AIDS, Dr Jim Kim and the  chief executive officers of both the Baylor College of Medicine and; Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), Messrs Peter Traber and Peter Dolan are expected to attend the ceremonies, Ms Khaebana said.

The children's centre will provide care and treatment of HIV/AIDS children, and is a joint project between Bristol-Myers Squibb Secure the Future Programme, Baylor College of Medicine and the Ministry of Health.

Lesotho is one of four Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries which have benefited from over M600 million worth of support against HIV/AIDS from the BMS Secure the Future programme.

29 November 2005