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Last Updated: Dec 29, 2011 - 2:18:31 AM |
Students of the Anatol Rodgers Senior High School Choir perform during the annual World AIDS Day School Assembly held at the S. C. McPherson Junior High School on Tuesday, November 30. The event was held under the theme, ‘Universal Access and Human Rights,’ and was sponsored by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with The Ministry of Education. (BIS Photo/Derek Smith).
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Nassau, The Bahamas -
Under the theme, ‘Universal Access and
Human Rights,’ the Ministry of Health in collaboration with The Ministry of
Education held the annual World AIDS Day School Assembly. The event was held at the S .C. McPherson
Junior High School on Tuesday, November 30.
Delivering the World AIDS Day message, Minister
of Education, the Hon. Desmond Bannister told students that World AIDS
‘provides and important opportunity for government, national AIDS programmes,
communities and the business community to assist with curbing the spread of the
disease.
Minister of Education, the Hon. Desmond Bannister, delivers the World AIDS Day message during the World AIDS Day School Assembly held at the S. C. McPherson Junior High School on Tuesday, November 30. (BIS Photo/Derek Smith).
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“ It is a reminder to all of us that HIV has not
gone away and there is still much work to be done,” said Mr. Bannister.
“”Recent reports suggest that the incidence is on the rise for some countries
where we were seeing a decline.” He said
that experts believe that this is due to the effectiveness of treatment, thereby
resulting in a lack of fear of death. Another belief, said the Minister is that
there is still a stigma attached to the disease.
“Another myth often cited is that only certain
kinds of people, who engage in certain types of behaviour can get HIV/AIDS,” he
added.
Confirming the government’s commitment to the
fight against HIV/AIDS, Minister Bannister said that every effort would be
taken to maintain a ‘safe and supportive’ environment, which will facilitate
voluntary disclosure of HIV status.
“The Ministry of Health is committed to ensuring
that the most vulnerable to HIV, can access testing, treatment and care and we
must continue to promote not only a medical, but also a ‘social and legal’
environment that is supportive of safe and voluntary disclosure of HIV status.”
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