His Majesty King Letsie III has urged men to take a lead in reversing the spread of HIV and AIDS in the country.

In his remarks ahead of the World AIDS Day commemoration which is marked in Thaba-Tseka under the theme ‘Male involvement in HIV and AIDS’, His Majesty recognised the important role men play within the society, saying they should now take the responsibility of curbing the degree of the pandemic.

He noted that this year's theme calls for men to get involved and play a leading role in tackling HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections.

He said the day calls for all to reflect on progress made in addressing the pandemic in the country, to identify challenges and map the way forward.

His Majesty appealed to married couples to be faithful to one another and urged the nation to stop engaging in extra marital relationships as studies show that people who have more than one sexual partner are at a greater risk of contracting the pandemic.

“To fight this disease, you need to seriously think of changing your behaviour,” he said.

The current report from the National AIDS Commission (NAC) on HIV and AIDS shows that there are more than 270 000 people living with HIV and AIDS in Lesotho most of whom are women and young people.

It further states that a total number of 180 000 children are orphans most of whom have lost their parents due to HIV and AIDS related illnesses.

Source: LENA 01/12/2009