As Liberia joins global efforts in ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, the Liberia National AIDS Commission (LNAC) has called for a united front to address structural barriers—such as stigma and discrimination that impede individuals’ ability to access HIV testing and treatment services to speed out the disease elimination.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a disease that attacks cells that help the body fight infection, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases. It is spread by contact with certain body fluids of a person with HIV, most commonly during unprotected sex–sex without a condom or HIV medicine to prevent or treat HIV, or through sharing injection drug equipment.
However, AIDS is the late stage of HIV infection that occurs when the body’s immune system is badly damaged because of the virus.
The World AIDS Day was set aside by the Joint United Nations Program on AIDS (UNAIDS) in 1988 to provide an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to remember those who have died of AIDS-related complications. Since then, World AIDS Day has been commemorated on December 1st every year.
With the global theme, “Collective Action: Sustain and accelerate HIV Progress”, and a national theme, “One Goal, One Fight: Ending AIDS Together in Liberia”, the LNAC will on December 2, 2024 celebrate the World AIDS Day with a grand parade and a commenting program at the Invincible Sports Park, Old Road Junction.
The 36th World AIDS Day places emphasis on harnessing the significant progress being made through global and domestic HIV programs over the years, working to ensure that no community is left behind in the HIV response.
However, the AIDS/HIV 2030 elimination campaign worldwide, according to the Global AIDS Commission, needs concomitant effort in Liberia.
For it to be achieved, the LNAC Commissioner called on government, private sector, donors for a united front to address structural barriers such as stigma and discrimination that impede individuals’ ability to access HIV testing and treatment services. She added that inadequate domestic resource allocation for the HIV response in Liberia continues to undermine efforts to sustain the gains up to 2030 and beyond, emphasizing the need to address these structural barriers, which will put Liberia on par with other countries.
“We want to remind everyone that the fight against the spread of HIV remains a national priority that requires our collective efforts, partnership and collaboration as emphasized by the national theme, ‘One Goal, One Fight: Ending AIDS Together in Liberia’,” the LNAC’s Commissioner said during a press conference.
The commissioner referred the press, saying the commission believes that to accelerate progress in achieving the different global and national targets, bold and intentional political will is required to sustain the gains they have made over the years. “The time to own and sustain these achievements as a country is now, and we want to use this occasion to humbly appeal to all state actors, policymakers and the private sector to get involved,” she sounded a holistic call in a patriotic tone.
She acknowledged the many contributions of partners in the public sector, civil society organizations who continue to stand up for the voiceless, their international partners, the UN and donor communities, especially PEPFAR and the Global Fund, for their commitment to the national HIV response.
As donor fatigue is on the rise, the Government of Liberia (GOL), through the National AIDS Commission (NAC) with support from UNAIDS has begun the development of a National HIV Sustainability Roadmap for the country, intended to sustain gains made to the HIV response beyond 2030 as we anticipate a drawdown of donor support. This commits the country to transforming the HIV response to a more sustainable response by increasing domestic financing for a sustained HIV response as outlined in the updated National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2021—2026.
However, for the pending World AIDS Day’s celebration on December 2, 2024, the commissioner announced media campaign awareness of HIV information to influence the uptake of HIV voluntary testing and other HIV services. Likewise, community outreach and engagements, including holding of town hall meetings to engage with opinion leaders on the reduction of HIV-related stigma and discrimination directed at people living with HIV and key populations, creating awareness in schools, markets, churches, mosques, beaches, and other public places to create demand for HIV testing; stakeholders’ engagement to begin the conversation of establishing a national Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Program in Liberia; and an indoor program climaxing the week-long event will take place at the Invincible Park, to be attended by an array of stakeholders.
