Fight against HIV/AIDS takes shape

A recent report in the war against HIV/AIDS in the country is impressive. Rwanda is among the countries that have managed to halve the rate of new HIV infections since 2001, according to UNAIDS 2012 report on the state of the global pandemic.The country achieved significant decline of more than 50%, according to the report.The reduction of new HIV infection, especially among children is a move in the right direction. This has been possible due to leadership and commitment of each and everyone involved in the fight against the scourge.Health providers should be commended in this regard and for especially decentralising HIV/AIDS related initiatives, credited for the drop in AIDS-related deaths due to greater access to antiretroviral therapy.However, they should keep up the fight.It is now the duty of citizens to cooperate with health providers and other relevant agencies in the fight against HIV/AIDS.Let us embrace voluntary testing of HIV as well as proper behavioural changes.The optimism to achieving zero new HIV infections should be taken seriously.However, the latest report point to some missing link in the fight against HIV/AIDS - changing sexual behaviour, among the most affected who are the youths.It notes that Rwanda is among the countries, where sexual risky behaviour is increasing.This is the fate many successful HIV/AIDS fights have suffered, complacency where more caution is required.This calls for a more robust support for behavioural change efforts so as to sustain the gains so far achieved.

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Fight against HIV/AIDS takes shape