National Assembly joins in global commemoration of World Aids Day |03 December 2022

A souvenir photograph

• “Equalize access to rights, equalize access to services, equalize access to resources, equalize access to the best science and medicine. This is how we will end Aids.” Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS.

The International World Aids Day 2022 is being commemorated under the theme ‘Equalize’, sending a powerful message across the globe to end all inequalities that contribute to the propagation of HIV/Aids.

The National Assembly Committee on Communicable Diseases, HIV/Aids and Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), working under the aegis of the SADC PF SRHR Governance Project, also made a call to action to rectify the inequalities that will eventually lead to the eradication of HIV and Aids. This came out strongly in a message delivered in the House by Committee Member Hon. Andy Labonte who emphasized on the need to guarantee equal and excellent decentralised services for increased comfort, confidentiality, testing, and prevention. 

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Roger Mancienne, stood in solidarity with the Committee and Seychelles by symbolically lighting a candle in memory of all Aids victims and also in support of all persons living with HIV and Aids and their families.

Present at the brief ceremony were members of Parliament, the Clerk, the Minister for Finance and his delegation who were at the National Assembly for budget deliberations, and parliamentary staff.

Informative leaflets and condoms were on display and red ribbons were distributed to everyone present on the precinct.

Contributed by the National Assembly secretariat