First Lady Jeannette Kagame has urged all Rwandans, irrespective of status in society, to join the fight against HIV/Aids, saying it is crucial to ensure that HIV-positive persons are not stigmatised. 

Mrs Kagame made the call at a function marking the 10th anniversary of the Rwanda Network of People living with HIV, commonly known as RRP+, at Petit Stade yesterday. 

"Rwanda is committed to achieving zero new infection, reduction of HIV/Aids related deaths, with no stigma and with HIV-free youth. We are requesting all concerned authorities to join efforts and fight against stigmatisation and also request lawmakers to come up with a law criminalising stigmatisation,” she said 

She thanked members of the Network for their resolve, saying they established RRP+ during the hard times when it was not easy for someone to come out openly about their status. 

Mrs Kagame said being HIV-positive does not make one disabled since those who are positive have proved that they can play a crucial role in nation building. 

"You have been strong partners of the government ever since you decided to come together. Our country has since achieved a lot in fighting against HIV,” she said.

"In the past years, we lost many people to HIV/Aids. We can’t forget that HIV-positive people were discriminated against from their families to society. It was difficult for them to have hopes of living,” the First Lady added.

Mrs Kagame said discrimination and stigma made many people fear going for HIV testing, adding that concerted efforts have seen an increase in the number of people going for voluntary testing and counselling. 

Campaigns against HIV and care for HIV-positive pregnant mothers has led to a decrease in prevalence rates from 9 per cent to 1 per cent in 2013. 

"Today, we are also happy that the welfare of people living with HIV has improved because of the Network and thanks to government for availing anti-retroviral drugs,” she said. 

RRP+ was established as an umbrella for associations of people living with HIV/Aids in the country.

RRP+ president Beatrice Kagoyire said there are nearly 74,000 members of the network. 

"We appreciate the assistance we have got from several partners, including Imbuto Foundation that paid medical insurance for 163,000 people. Hadn’t it been for its role, many of us wouldn’t be here,” Kagoyire said. 

Unaids regional director Sheila Tlou said countries need to increase their financial spending on HIV since donors are reducing their spending. 

Prof. Tlou noted that efforts in Aids response are showing great results. 

Assumpta Kampororo, who has lived with HIV for 20 years, testified of how she struggled with stigma until she joined the Network. 

Kampororo was raped and infected during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. She learnt about her sero status three years after the Genocide. 

"When I joined RRP+, I met various people who helped me regain hope to live. We came from far, but we no longer spend our contributions on buying coffins, but invest them,” she said.