National Aids Council to host stakeholders’ workshop on HIV/Aids & viral hepatitis |30 November 2020
The Vice-President of the Republic of Seychelles, Ahmed Afif, is to launch a stakeholder’s workshop on HIV/Aids and viral hepatitis tomorrow, December 1, 2020.
The workshop, which will run from 8.30am to 3pm at the STC conference room,
is to re-group key individuals working closely with HIV/Aids and viral hepatitis service delivery in the country.
“We are hosting this training as Seychelles cannot host the annual HIV/Aids and viral hepatitis regional colloquium, which groups island states of the Indian Ocean, discussing issues pertaining to HIV/Aids and viral hepatitis patients,”
says Dr. Anne Gabriel, chief executive of the National Aids Council.
“We want to ensure that there is effective dialogue and discussions on how to best address the issues of HIV/Aids and viral hepatitis during the Covid-19 era
and get all stakeholders to understand how HIV/Aids and viral hepatitis are being dealt with under the new normal, for the way forward,” she adds.
In 2020, the world’s attention focusses on the Covid-19 pandemic and how it can affect lives and livelihoods. This shows that Covid-19 and health in general interlink with other critical issues, such as social protection and economic
growth. With this in mind, the theme chosen for the workshop is ‘HIV, hepatitis and Covid-19: let us talk!’
Despite the challenges, Seychelles will not skip the opportunity to show support to its HIV/Aids patients and the services offered. For 2020 alone from January to September, statistics shows 64 new HIV cases and 15 of the people tested are above 50 years of age. Among the 64 new cases of HIV, 10 of the infected people are of HIV and hepatitis alike. There are 10 new Aids cases and 6 Aids related deaths.
Every year, on December 1, the world commemorates World Aids Day. People around the world unite to show support for people living with and affected by HIV and to remember those who lost their lives to Aids. This year the UNAids theme for the day is ‘Global solidarity - shared responsibility’.
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