CIBITOKE July 20th (ABP) – As part of the advocacy campaign on the empowerment of people living with HIV / AIDS (PLWHIV) in the grant of community HIV subsidies, the collective of associations of people infected and affected by HIV / AIDS (CAPES +) organized on Thursday, July 15, a the headquarters of Cibitoke province (north-west of Burundi), the 4th regional advocacy workshop on the strong involvement of PLWHIV in the management of HIV subsidies in Burundi.
That workshop, organized for PLWHIV leaders from different networks and some partners, aimed to collect the grievances of PLWHIV and see what mechanism to advocate in order having access to the management of HIV subsidies, according to Mr. Hamza Venant Burikukiye, representative of CAPES +. The latter indicated that victims of HIV / AIDS are best suited to be models and not to infect others.
For this, he made it known that PLWHIV must be like this and that we cannot be autonomous as beneficiaries. To achieve this, PLWHIV want to have the right place in the implementation of all activities concerning them, said Mr. Burikukiye, who took the opportunity to thank the government and partners for their efforts in favor of PLWHIV.
Mr. Burikukiye clarified that once PLWHIV become the managers of HIV subsidies, they will be autonomous and will contribute to achieve the 2030 goal of 95-95-95, which means zero new infections, zero HIV-related deaths, and zero discrimination.
In fact, PLWHIV are able to contribute to the success of PTME and monitor the mother-child health program, through teaching via the CPN, with a major role to play against the spread and transmission of HIV / AIDS.
On his part, the permanent executive secretary of the CNLS, Dr Désiré Nduwayo, praised the activities of the networks of PLWHIV who have been involved since the onset of HIV / AIDS. He indicated that such activities are important in the fight against HIV / AIDS and against the challenges that hamper this sector and which must be overcome with the contribution of PLWHIV who even participate in the planning of related activities.
The assistant to the Minister of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS, Dr Onesphore Nzigirabarya who opened the workshop, thanked the campaign organizers and encouraged them to move forward to play their role and prove their capacity in the management of HIV subsidies.
As for the Country Director of UNAIDS, Mr. Ben Wahab Abdoul Karim, he thanked the government for its commitments in the fight against AIDS and commended the determination of the Advisory and Decision-Making Framework for PLWHIV (CCDP +) for the involvement of PLWHIV in the granting of HIV subsidies. Note that CCDP + brings together the CAPES +, RBP +, Bunenera +, CBF +, and RNJS + networks.