DRC: The silent storm of HIV/AIDS
The silent storm of HIV/AIDS is ravaging communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where over 2.6 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. Some one hundred thousand people have died of AIDS and more than 700,000 children have lost one or both parents to this preventable disease that, if not tackled directly by government policy, has the potential of evolving into a raging pandemic.
Witness press release
www.witness.org
The silent storm of HIV/AIDS is ravaging communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where over 2.6 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. Some one hundred thousand people have died of AIDS and more than 700,000 children have lost one or both parents to this preventable disease that, if not tackled directly by government policy, has the potential of evolving into a raging pandemic. To date only 3% of those needing anti-retroviral treatment are receiving it.
"Awaiting Tomorrow" tells the story of people living with HIV/AIDS in the war-torn Eastern region of the DRC and advocates for the provision of: free HIV/AIDS testing, medical care and medication, including home based care, nutritional and psychological support; outreach on testing and prevention particularly targeting youth; awareness raising and legislation to end discrimination against all affected people; and the building of infrastructure to make critical medical assistance accessible. To view an excerpt of the video, please visit www.witness.org
The Congolese government, supported by the international community, must comply with their international obligations to take all necessary measures to guarantee the rights of persons living with HIV/AIDS, including the right to health and the right to information on prevention, testing and treatment and the promises made through the Millenium Development Goals. Act Now to call on President Joseph Kabila and the Congolese government to immediately address this emerging crisis:
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Please note that director and producer of Awaiting Tomorrow, Bukeni Waruzi, who is a child rights activist based in Uvira, Eastern DRC, is currently at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto. To contact him directly, please email: [email][email protected]