| From: |
"Makona, Edgar Dearn" [ profile ] |
| Subject: |
Give AIDS the Red Card initiative launched at All-Africa Games in Mozambique
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| Sent: |
Sep 3rd, 2011 - 12:21:01 |
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The Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on
HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Michel Sidibé and Mozambique's Minister of Youth and
Sports Pedrito Caetano launched the UNAIDS Give AIDS the Red Card
initiative today at the Joaquim Chissano International Conference
Center in Maputo.
The announcement was made on the eve of the 10th All-Africa Games, the
continent's largest multi-sports tournament, under the patronage of
Dr. Aires Aly Bonifácio, Prime Minister of Mozambique.
"Reducing the numbers of new HIV infections is nowhere more imperative
or urgent than in Africa," said Mr Sidibé. "The All-Africa Games are a
great occasion to raise wide awareness about intensifying efforts to
reach UNAIDS' vision of Zero new infections, Zero discrimination, and
Zero AIDS-related deaths."
"Sport brings people together and is especially popular among young
people. I urge all the participants and fans across Africa watching
the All-Africa Games to learn the facts about HIV prevention and give
AIDS the Red Card," said Mr Caetano.
Among prominent personalities expected to attend the launch are former
Mozambican President Joaquim Alberto Chissano, Graça Machel, wife of
former South African President Nelson Mandela, and leading athletes.
The UNAIDS Give AIDS the Red Card campaign was introduced at the 2010
FIFA World Cup in South Africa with the support of 28 team captains.
Captains of six teams at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany
also endorsed the initiative.
At the Maputo event, the first Africa-wide launch of the initiative,
the heads of national delegations to the Games, including presidents
of National Olympic Committees and Ministers of Sport from 47
participating countries, are signing a pledge to support the Give AIDS
the Red Card campaign for Zero new infections, Zero discrimination,
and Zero AIDS-related deaths. The campaign aims to raise awareness and
mobilize action to strengthen the response to HIV and accelerate
progress across Africa.
"By signing the pledge, each delegation is agreeing to set up a
national plan of action on the UNAIDS Give AIDS the Red Card in
consultation with UNAIDS offices and national AIDS councils upon
return in their respective countries," said Dr. Djibril Diallo, Senior
Adviser to the UNAIDS Executive Director. "The 2012 Africa Cup of
Nations hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon will be the next
platform for pan-African mobilization of the initiative," he added.
Mozambicans are welcoming 5,000 athletes who will compete in 23 sports
during the Games, including: athletics (track and field events),
badminton, basketball, boxing, canoeing, chess, cycling, football,
gymnastics, handball, judo, karate, netball, rowing, sailing,
shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon,
volleyball and weightlifting.
Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the region most affected by HIV,
with an estimated 22.5 million people living with the virus in the
region representing 68% of the global total. However significant
progress is being made in the region. In 22 countries, the HIV
incidence rate declined by more than 25% between 2001 and 2009.
World leaders meeting in New York at the 2011 UN High-Level Meeting on
AIDS agreed on far-reaching targets to halve new infections through
sexual transmission and drug use, eliminate new HIV infections among
children, and reduce TB-related AIDS deaths by halfall by 2015. The
Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS also urged countries to embrace
treatment for prevention, put 15 million people on treatment and
reinforced the call for universal access to HIV prevention, treatment,
care and support by 2015.
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