| From: |
Adeyemo Gabriel [ profile ] |
| Subject: |
Tutu says South Africa no longer embarrassed over AIDS
|
| Sent: |
May 10th, 2011 - 07:48:23 |
|
| |
Source:* Associated Press*
AUTHOR: Thandisizwe Mgudlwa
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110503/ap_on_he_me/af_south_africa_tutu
Fellow Advocate,
South Africa, which suffered through years of official AIDS denialism, need
not be ashamed of its current response to the epidemic, Desmond Tutu said
Tuesday. The former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town, now retired, spoke at
a UN conference dedicated to enlisting a new generation of activists to
combat AIDS.
"For many years, we were embarrassed in international gatherings for what we
were not doing in fighting AIDS. We therefore thank the Minister of Health
Aaron Motsoaledi for the change in policy," Tutu said. The campaign led by
Motsoaledi was launched in 2009 by President Jacob Zuma; it followed years
of ineffective action by the previous health minister, who publicly
questioned the link between HIV and AIDS. "We are definitely joining hands
with the rest of the world in the fight against HIV/AIDS," Motsoaledi said
at the conference.
"I think we will win." Those attending included Tung Bui, of the Vietnamese
group Youth Lead. "We are ready to make a difference in the lives of many
who have been infected, while preventing future infections," Bui said. Tutu
responded, "It is a very rare privilege and honor for us, the older ones, to
say we are passing the baton to you, the young, to carry on with the fight
against this pandemic."
The conference was held on Robben Island, near Cape Town, where the prison
that once housed future President Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid
activists has been converted to a museum.
--
Many Thanks
Yours' in Prevention Science
Adeyemo Damilare Gabriel
Regional Focal Point - West Africa
Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AID (GYCA)
+234-80-6798-7317 | gabriel (at) gyca.org
www.gyca.org | www.tigweb.org
GYCA is a youth-led global network of more than 5,000 young leaders and
adult allies working on youth and HIV/AIDS in 150 countries world-wide.
GYCA's mission is to empower young leaders with the skills, knowledge,
resources and opportunities they need to scale up HIV/AIDS interventions
amongst their peers.
Universal Access is possible; *
*Zero new HIV infections. **Zero discrimination and ***Zero AIDS-related
deaths.***
|
|
Message
back to messages
