By STAFF REPORTER
TANZANIA has successfully managed to reduce a negative spate of discrimination towards the people living with HIV/AIDS, from 28 percent to 5.5 percent during a period between 2016 and 2024 respectively.
The impressive revelation in the country’s health sector was unveiled Dr Martin Odit, the Country Director (Resident) of United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
He was speaking during a special event for the commemoration of 2024 Zero Discrimination Day (ZDD) which in this year was observed on March 19 in Dodoma Capital City.
Apart from hailing the government of Tanzanian for standing at the needed forefront to fight against the negative social-psychological trend, Dr Odit underscored over the need for further interventions.
"We at UNAIDS will continue cementing our working tie with the government of Tanzanian to lessen a wave of discrimination towards the people living with HIV, because among others, this unwelcoming habit stands amid key factors that fueling HIV cases across the country, " he observed.
Speaking earlier, in his opening remarks on behalf of Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Policy and Parliamentary Coordination, Jenista Mhagama, Dr. Jerome Kamwela, the Acting Executive Director of TACAIDS termed discrimination as the 'serious petrol ' which support the country's HIV cooking fire to gain more momentum.
"The government, in cooperation with diverse stakeholders and institutions from within and outside the country will continue implementing a number of brave initiatives to curtail a wave of discrimination towards the people living with HIV," according to Minister Mhagama speech as presented by Dr Kamwela.
Lack of awareness across local communities and sexual atrocities are among the other factors in the support of HIV cases in Tanzania.
"The sixth phase government, under the sober leadership of President Samia ° Hassan has, and will continue setting up reasonable policies and conditions to ensure all forms of discrimination towards the people living with HIV are uprooted, " he added.
Together with that, Minister Mhagama said the government will continue sourcing more funds from different sources to help staging more sensible inteventions against the situation.
Leticia Maurice, the board chairperson of the National Council of People Living with HIV in Tanzania (NACOPHA) said discrimination was remaining high across the country, the situation she said was seeing a record number of the people living with HIV dropping out the helpful Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs dozes.
And she added, as intevention to silence the move continues to fetch encouraging results, it was disconcerting to learn that most of the people living with the disease are currently discriminating themselves.
"Personal Discrimination (PD), is now appearing high among the HIV infected ones, which is discouraging revelation, " she unveiled.
The key country's health event which is usually observed internally on 1st March of each year but due to some reasons, the day was postponed to 19 March.
Among others, this crucial day is dedicated to help promoting equality before the people by advocating for ending all forms of inequality and discrimination
Each year, in Tanzania through the Prime Minister’s Office, the Tanzania Commission for HIV/AIDS in collaboration with National Council for people living with HIV (NACOPHA) and UNAIDS are bridging up efforts with the other like-minded stakeholders in coordinating the day.
This year’s theme is 'To protect everyone's health, protect everyone's rights. Theme emphasize building association links with human rights and public health in achieving the goal of eliminating AIDS by 2030.
The other key objectives of the annually staged day was to highlight good practices and appealed for action and relationships to protect and advance HIV -related human rights.
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