World AIDS Day 2011

“My last commemoration event”, spoken with a mixture of relief and joy, mainly because so much of the work ends up being done at the last minute and as a result Judy and I end up shouldering too much of the organising burden. Oh to be a fly on the wall after we have gone and when the preparations start for the next event!

This event was no different aside from the added pressure of the Guest of Honour being the Honourable Professor Nkandu Luo MP and the Minister of Local Government, Housing, Early Education and Environmental Protection. There were a few hiccups along the way which always happens but in general the day, activities, marching and everything else went pretty much to plan. The Minister spoke eloquently and passionately (as we had hoped) and the testimonies by people with HIV were especially moving and powerful. The event was seen by most people as a success though a few nagging questions remain in my mind where we need to improve. Some examples:

• World AIDS Day is still seen as a one-off with the people effort and expense being great and all focused on one day. Then everyone returns to their day-to-day duties until we start banging the drum about the next event. Whereas what is needed is a continued focus and effort, not necessarily a World AIDS Day everyday, but the message must be reinforced everyday in a variety of different ways
• We need to understand whether these events actually work and make a difference. Most of the discussions and debates during the planning and then on the actual day concern t-shirts, food and drink, and how much of these things will be available. The self interest and what is in it for me takes over from thinking about we and the community
• Most of the people taking part of already part of the HIV service provider community – the workers, volunteers and activists. These people should know better (though this is not my point but many of these people are happy to preach one thing and then do the opposite). The actual members of the community are hard to encourage to attend the events and only participate in small numbers, particularly if there are no incentives, i.e. t-shirts, on offer. The events, therefore, end up being a commemoration for these people in the know.

Lastly I should highlight the theme for this year’s event which was all about “Getting to Zero New HIV Infections.” Linked to the theme the various messages that were promoted to reach the zero included:

• Sticking to one Sexual Partner to reduce risk of HIV infection
• Protecting your baby from HIV by going for Counselling and Testing during pregnancy
• Using a condom correctly and consistently every time you have sex.