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Criselda Kananda

DECEMBER 1, World Aids Day, is the day that individuals and organisations across the globe come together to draw attention to the global HIV epidemic.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of World Aids Day. While we have come a long way since 1988, there is still much more to be done.

As guided by the world Aids campaign, leadership was the theme for World Aids Day last year and continues to be the theme this year.

It is promoted with the campaign slogan: “Stop Aids. Keep the Promise.” Can we for once in 20 years keep our promise? Promise to stop Aids by making individual and realistic commitments. The world Aids campaign urges us to lead, empower and deliver.

The leadership focus encourages leaders at all levels to stop Aids. If we all agree that Aids is a syndrome caused by a weak immune response to disease-causing agents like germs, bacteria and viruses, it can be stopped if we keep saying “abstain, be faithful” and if we use condoms.

An immune system needs more than just no sex and condoms to function well, however. We must build on the 2006 theme of accountability and responsibility.

What is tricky is that some of those infected are responsible, healthy adults who would like to procreate. Leadership empowers everyone with simple, relevant and practical strategies. This can be achieved if leaders preach what they, too, practise. We have heard enough about leadership; now it is time to deliver. Promises must be kept and people must feel empowered.

Since 1988 the response to Aids has changed greatly. While many of these changes are positive, this anniversary offers us an opportunity to highlight how much more still needs to be done.

Although we have the best and most comprehensive national strategy as a country, with the biggest antiretroviral rollout in the world, South Africans continue to die mysteriously after “a short illness”.

Leadership for me requires that we face the reality that something is wrong with our campaigns. While the scaling- up of HIV care is now prioritised, with massive funding, it is poorly implemented. Leadership should be about the power and authority to make a difference; to lead by example.

Stand against the abuse of state resources to advance biased campaigns that seek to promote only one pillar of the national approach.

Deputy President Baleka Mbete demonstrated this when she urged us to stop pretending that this country had achieved nothing in responding to the global challenge. She added that we needed vigilance in implementing what was already in the second national strategic plan.

The overall purpose of the world Aids campaign from 2005 to 2010 has been to ensure that leaders and decision-makers deliver on their promises on Aids, including the provision of universal access to treatment, care, support and prevention services by 2010. Within that five-year mission, annual campaigning themes are selected which are timely, relevant and adaptable to different regions and issues.

To achieve this goal, leadership and action are needed now. Government is delivering on its promises, yes, with challenges.

Individuals and communities must feel empowered to access safe treatment, to know their rights and take action against stigma and discrimination and to know and use methods of prevention against receiving and transmitting HIV. Most importantly, they must question what is not effective.

Khomanani, which is the government’s Aids communication campaign, launched the Red Ribbon Challenge on the fifth of this month. This initiative will see South Africans unite in the fight against HIV and Aids by creating the biggest red ribbon yet.

But it all starts with your individual pledge, written on a piece of red cloth. For more details, call 011-880-0405 or visit www.khomanani.co.za