World Aids Day

Bo Mme le Bo Ntate Khotsong! Allow me to pay my respects to:

HIS MAJESTY KING LETSIE III

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE PRIME MINISTER, Dr. MOEKETSI MAJORO WHO IS OUR MIDST,

HONOURABLE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

HONOURABLE SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

HIS LORDSHIP PRESIDENT OF THE COURT OF APPEAL

HIS LORDSHIP THE CHIEF JUSTICE

HONOURABLE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

HONORABLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT,

HONOURABLE MINISTERS AND DEPUTY MINISTERS OF HIS MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT, 

THEIR LORDSHIPS JUDGES OF THE COURT OF APPEAL AND OF THE HIGH COURT

BOARD MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL AIDS COMMISSION

EXCELLENCIES MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS,

HEADS OF UN AGENCIES AND DEAR COLLEAGUES

THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARY

PRINCIPAL SECRETARIES

SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS

BO MME LE BO NTATE ALL PROTOCOL OBSERVED

We gather here today to celebrate the 2020 World AIDS Day at a time like no other in history. The UN joins all Basotho to celebrate gains, remember those souls that we have lost to the epidemic and to renew our commitment to do more and do better to end AIDS as a public health threat.  On behalf of the UN in Lesotho, I am honoured to deliver these few remarks.

Your Majesty, Right Honourable Prime Minister, Distinguished Guests Bo Mme le Bo Ntate;

The combined epidemics of COVID-19, HIV, TB and other health challenges remind us of how fragile the gains made in the response to HIV are.   Lesotho has made very significant progress in addressing HIV as evidenced by the Lesotho Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (LePHIA II).  Just yesterday, Her Majesty Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso released the preliminary data in the presence of H.E. Ms. Rebecca Gonzales, Ambassador of the United States of America and Honourable Motlatsi Maqelepo, Minister of Health.  This data indicates that, on the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets for 2020, Lesotho has reached 90-97-92.  This is to say that 90% of HIV positive persons know their status; 97% HIV-positive persons use antiretroviral treatment; and 92% of people on treatment have achieved viral suppression. 

These are very important milestones in the AIDS response, so, congratulations Lesotho!  I think it is only legitimate for all actors to look back with a sense of pride.  At the same time, when we look forward, we all know that the fight is far from over.  The unfinished business includes protecting and sustaining our gains; and conquering new territory.   This is certainly not time for complacency.  Now more than ever, partners, including PEPFAR and the Global Fund need to bring all hands on deck.   We must work smarter and harder to ensure that the remaining people who are HIV positive and do not know their status get the support they need to do so and access treatment services.

We must address the remaining gaps in our response: the persistent high vulnerability of young girls and women aged 15-24 to HIV infection is not acceptable.   It is not acceptable that we still have new infections passing from parents to new-born babies when we have the science and tools to end transmission once and for all.  It is not acceptable that men continue to lag behind in testing and adhering to their treatment and that women who work in factories, sex workers, un-circumcised men, men who have sex with men and prisoners bear the burden of new infections and stigma.

Your Majesty, Right Honourable Prime Minister, Distinguished Guests Bo Mme le Bo Ntate;

The Theme for this WAD is Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility.  Global solidarity and shared responsibility helped us reach this point in addressing the epidemic and the same will take us to the final victory without leaving anyone behind.

We have seen it, COVID-19 threatens the progress that the world has made in health and development over the past 20 years and more so for countries in the South, like Lesotho.  I salute the Ministry of Health and NACOSEC who, with support from partners and civil society mobilized quickly to protect the gains made in addressing HIV including multi-month dispensing of ARVs, strengthening community service delivery and ensuring that PLHIV are reached with information on protecting themselves against COVID-19 while continuing to take their treatment. 

However, a lot remains to be done particularly on preventing new infections among adolescent girls and young women and other vulnerable Basotho.  Data shows that during the lockdown there were unfortunate disruptions in prevention programming and support to civil society.   This is unfortunate.   We need to prepare better for sudden epidemics such as COVID-19, continue monitoring programmes and mitigating the impact to quickly regain any losses.

Like all epidemics, COVID-19 is widening the inequalities that already existed all over the World and Lesotho is not spared.  Gender inequality, gender-based violence, poverty, social and economic inequalities exacerbate epidemics such as HIV and COVID-19.   While we have done well on the targets, these underlying inequalities persist.   The gains made will remain fragile until these inequalities are addressed.   It is time to double up efforts to address these underlying challenges that drive epidemics.

It is the strength within communities, inspired by a shared responsibility to each other, that has contributed in great part to our victories over HIV. Today more than ever, we need that strength to beat the colliding epidemics of HIV and COVID-19.

I end by emphasizing that complacency will erode our successes.   COVID-19 has proved that pulling back or slowing down is not the way to go, but rather strengthening partnerships, accelerating access to integrated services, building community resilience while leaving no one behind is the road that will get us there.

Your Majesty, Right Honourable Prime Minister, Distinguished Guests Bo Mme le Bo Ntate;

At this juncture, please allow me to read you the message of the UN Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres on this occasion.

I QUOTE:

With the world’s attention focused on the COVID-19 crisis, World AIDS Day is a reminder of the need to maintain focus on another global pandemic that is still with us nearly 40 years after it emerged.

Despite significant successes, the AIDS emergency is not over.  HIV still infects 1.7 million people each year and kills some 690 000.  And inequalities mean that those who are the least able to stand up for their rights are still the most affected. 

COVID-19 has been a wake-up call to the world.  Inequalities in health affect all of us.  No one is safe unless we all are safe.

The HIV response has much to teach the fight against COVID-19.  We know that to end AIDS and defeat COVID-19 we must eliminate stigma and discrimination, put people at the centre and ground our responses in human rights and gender-responsive approaches. 

Wealth should not determine whether people get the health care they need.  We need a COVID-19 vaccine and HIV treatments and care that are affordable and available to everyone, everywhere.

Health is a human right.  Health must be a top investment priority to achieve universal health coverage.  On this World AIDS Day let us recognize that, to overcome COVID-19 and end AIDS, the world must stand in solidarity and share responsibility.

END OF QUOTE

I thank you for your kind attention.  Khotso  Pula  Nala!