The Premier of Bokone Bophirima Province, SOR Mahumapelo says the National Development Plan goal that envisions a health system that increases life expentancy by 2030 can be realised if communities can eat healthy food, participate in physical exercises, drink suffient water, rest enough, avoid stressful environments and abstain from substance abuse.
Mahumapelo said this yesterday while on a door-to-door campaign in Motlhabeng village, Mahikeng Local Municipality, where he was joined by Members of Executive Council in marking World AIDS Day and spreading messages of Zero Discrimination against people living with HIV and Aids.
“As we work towards an HIV free generation, we must consistently educate people about and promote healthy living. While we are content about the Provincial infection statistics that are generally steady, we encourage our people to act wisely and protect themselves and those close to them. We must also hasten to express our concern about the increasing number of young people between the ages of 15 and 35, who according to the national statistics, are continuing to get infected by this virus”, said Premier Mahumapelo, who also reminded villagers of an old adage, “it takes the whole village to raise a child”.
Premier Mahumapelo engaged local people around the village, including the elderly.
The Provincial World Aids day was commemorated at Motlhabeng village in Mahikeng, where health screening services were rendered, including voluntary HIV testing.
World AIDS Day is commemorated each year on the 1st of December and is an opportunity for every community to unite in the fight against HIV, show support for people living with HIV and remember those who have died.
The UNAIDS World AIDS Day theme for 2011 to 2015 is: “Getting to Zero”. This year, South Africa is focusing on Zero Discrimination: zero new HIV infections and zero AIDS related deaths.
The aim of this campaign is to ensure that the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS are not violated, and that discrimination on the basis of HIV, AIDS and TB is reduced, and ultimately eliminated.
Enquiries:
Mr Brian Setswambung
Cell: 084 702 3775 / 076 012 4501
E-mail: bsetswambung@nwpg.gov.za
