Mbabane: The Government of Eswatini through the National Emergency Response Council on HIV and AIDS (NERCHA) is in partnership with the Botswana and Lesotho Governments, National AIDS Councils, and Limkokwing University in establishing the Technology-based HIV Prevention program for youth.
Speaking at the launch of the programme, the Principal Secretary in the Prime Minister’s office, Bertram Stewart mentioned that the launch has come at the right time where the world has moved to the fourth industrial revolution. This indicates the start of the technological revolution will fundamentally alter the way people live, work and relate to one another. Therefore, the response to it must be integrated and comprehensive.
It must involve all stakeholders of the global community, from the private and public sectors to academia and civil society. It is with this in mind that the collaboration with the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology is ideal for the delivery of this project because it is a university of transformation.
Stewart said, “the technology-based programme will among other things scale-up and adapt multi-media and technology-based prevention programmes targeting adolescents and young people, we have no doubt that message delivery to relevant audiences will be enhanced.”
“The experience obtained over 30 years of a global effort in responding to HIV and AIDS in Eswatini, Lesotho, and Botswana, has proven that investing in prevention, treatment, and care avoids far heavier human and financial costs in the future. Different models can be used to provide a strategic framework for responding to HIV and AIDS by placing health ministries at the centre of strategic planning, which helps to maximize health-sector expertise in supporting effective national outcomes.”
In conclusion, Stewart emphasized that it is through meaningful partnerships between the governments, health professionals, people living with HIV/AIDS, vulnerable groups, local communities, and non-governmental organizations that strong national and local responses will be achieved.
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