Inhabitants of the economic capital joined the fray in the celebrations marking the 32nd edition of the World Aids Day by organising a sports walk and a public ceremony in front of the Governor’s Office on Sunday December 8. The sports walk aimed at sensitising the public on HIV/AIDS, took participants from the Central post office in Bonanjo to the Governor’s Office passing through Akwa, Ancien Dalip, Koumassi, Marches des fleurs and Maison du Parti.

Speaking during the ceremony, the Secretary General, Thierry Kinou, representing the Governor said government policy has been to improve access to healthcare to seropositive people and providing essential drugs. He disclosed the prevalence rate has dropped from 4.4 in 2014 to 2.4 in 2018 well below the national rate of 2.7. He however cautioned those involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS not to lie on their laurels but to consider the drop as an incentive to do more

According to the coordinator of the National AIDS control Committee, Dr Yongui Ntamack V.N. Nicole, the littoral Region has been implementing the national strategic plan for 2018-2023 geared towards reducing the prevalence rate, avoiding new infections, curtail mother to child transmission, providing anti retroviral drugs to patients as well as ameliorating the living conditions of patients. She disclosed that 11433 cases of HIV infection were detected in the Littoral Region in 2018 and 88 per cent of them were put under treatment.

In line with the theme of this year’s celebration which is, « communities making the difference, Yongui Ntamack said who also happens to be the head of the technical group for the fight against AIDS, said they work with 280 groups to stamp out HIV/AIDS from our community. The ceremony also featured sketches on the theme of AIDS, traditional dances and the award of distinctions to those who have made outstanding contributions in the fight against HIV/AIDS.