Leaders and officials from the Alfred Nzo District Municipality (ANDM) hosted a candlelight memorial day in remembrance of victims of HIV/AIDS at Ngojini Village in Umzimvubu Local Municipality, last week.
Spokesperson for the Alfred Nzo District Municipality, Lixolile Petela, said that the aim of this service was to remember those who lost their lives because of HIV/AIDS, and to honour those who dedicated their lives to helping people living with, and affected by HIV, and those who continue to mobilise communities in solidarity.
“It also aimed at bringing government services closer to the community, as various departments had stalls servicing people on the spot,” said Petela.
He added that the candlelight memorial day is an international annual campaign co-ordinated by the Global Network of People Living with HIV. According to him, the first Candlelight Day was held in 1983 and is one of the days earmarked by the World Health Organization (WHO), with the aim of remembering people who lost their lives because of HIV, to honour those who dedicated their lives to helping people living with, and affected by, HIV.
“Other speakers also emphasised the fact that HIV no longer kills, urging people to go and get tested and start treatment immediately after diagnosis. They also informed the community about current Anti-Retroviral Treatments like PREP that are currently used to prevent HIV infections from one person to the other.”
Speaking at the event, Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC), Councillor Momelezi Mbedla from the Alfred Nzo District Municipality, stressed the importance of people testing for HIV in order to know their HIV status and, if diagnosed positive, start their treatment immediately. He encouraged community members to get tested and to begin treatment.
“Gone are the times when people used to die of HIV. Our government has worked hard to ensure that HIV becomes a manageable disease and one can live for many years if they take treatment,” said Mbedla.
He said that the number of people infected in the district is rising, stating that both young and elderly people are affected by this disease.
