KIKWETE TO GRACE WORLD AIDS DAY 2013 IN DAR

                His Excellency Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete

By Nasser Kigwangallah

WORLD Aids Day (WAD) is held on 1 December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died.

This year, WAD commemoration will be held at national level in Dar es Salaam from November 25^th, 2013 with various activities, including the work of NGOs and it will culminate on December 1^st  , 2013.

According to Jumanne Isango, the TACAIDS (Tanzania Commission for Aids) director of Advocacy and Information the colourful event will be graced by His Excellency the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete.

The seminar on the scale of the pandemic in Tanzania will be held from 28^th to 29^th November, 2013 at the Mwalimu Nyerere International Conference Centre.

Around 100 participants are expected to attend and it will be inaugurated by Honourable William Lukuvi, the Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office; Policy, Coordination and National Assembly.

The theme of this year is: “Getting to zero; Zero new HIV infection, zero stigma and discrimination and zero death related to Hiv/Aids”

The theme aims at highlighting various strategies of preventing new HIV infection nationally.

Ustadh Musa Mkama, an old man at Pugu ward mosque lamented recently: “As I go out and see the people that are lying on the mats, that are sick; a couple of things strike me: One is the most urgent people group to reach are those who are about to enter eternity, those who are about to close their eyes in death.”

He said it doesn't get more important, more vital, more real than this. When people are in pain, are suffering, there's a difference that you can make by caring, by just encouraging, just by being there.

He added that when he visits people, he prays that God will be with me to give me the words to say to be able to touch their hearts, to be able to touch their minds, to reach them and to share with them about their predicament.

MULUGO LAUNCHES THE HANDBOOK GUIDELINE ON PERSONS WITH ALBINISM IN DAR

THE  Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, in collaboration with  under the same sun (UTSS),  an  international organization aimed  at  highlighting  the  plight of persons  with albinism (PWAS) launched  the first  of its kind  in Africa,  the  guideline  on how to offer  better  and  quality education”  to  pupils and  students with  albinism associated with vision problem.

The launch was officiated  by the Deputy Minister  for Education and Vocational Training  Mr. Philipo Mulugo  at  Serena  Hotel in Dar es Salaam  on Wednesday, 3,000 copies of the guideline  manual  sponsored  by  UNICEF  have  so far been printed  and  would be distributed  to education  stakeholders  throughout  Tanzania.

Some  copies  were distributed  to  all participants, which included  District  Education Officers, Regional Education Officers,  Ministry of Education Officers  and   the  media  personnel. 

Speaking during the launch,  Mr.  Mulugo  said  the  handbook guideline manual  would  be used  as a tool to enable  education officers  and  teachers  alike,  to handle  pupils and  students in their  respective schools in a more appropriate  manner.

He noted  that although the  Ministry  had  a  adopted  a policy on students  with  disabilities in general, it is the first time  a particular  hand book on guideline for persons with albinism has  been  launched.

“I want this book to reach every corner of our Country and every education officer headmaster and education practitioner to get it,” he ordered.

He urged UNICEF to sponsor printing of more copies so that the handbook guideline manual could be made available.

According to him, this was one way of solving the problem persons with albinism face from time to time and the government was keen in meeting their needs.

On his side Peter  Ash,  the  UTSS  Chief  Executive Officer  and  founder  said  it is essential for the Community in Tanzania to treat persons  with albinism as  human beings.

“Kindly protect persons with albinism, they are human beings created by God himself like any other human being ,” he said.

It is  encouraging  to note  that  the government has so far taken stringent  measures  to address  the problem of attacks  and killing  of  PWAs  in Tanzania.

We  urge more  measures  to be taken to ensure that  attacks on PWAs  is  stopped completely  and  their  welfare   guaranteed.