By Mohamed Fofanah.
The National Aids Secretariat (NAS) yesterday observed the HIV/AIDS Zero Discrimination Day as part of a global movement of solidarity to end all forms of discrimination.
On Zero Discrimination Day this year under the theme “Remove laws that harm, create laws that empower,” UNAIDS is highlighting the urgent need to take action against discriminatory laws, and celebrate the right of everyone to live a full and productive life with dignity.
Speaking at the NAS headquarters in Freetown, Director-General of NAS Abdul Rahman Sesay announced that the Secretariat is making gains in the response to HIV/AIDS, but is challenged with stigma and discrimination levied against people living with it.
He said some of the country’s laws need to be reviewed because “they are not in line with the current content in which we find ourselves so we can continue providing services for the population living with HIV-positive.”
Mr Sesay said discrimination is a critical challenge to address the issue of HIV/AIDS in the country, hampering efforts to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals set for HIV/AIDS with a prevalence of 1.7 percent of the national population.
The Country Coordinator for the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in Sierra Leone, Isaac Ahemesah said the Zero Discrimination Day highlights how people can become informed about and promote inclusion, compassion, peace, and, above all, a movement for change and observed annually on 1 March to draw attention to those who still suffer from social and economic exclusion due to prejudice and intolerance.
