Every year, celebrated on December 1st, World AIDS Day is an opportunity to intensify mobilization. In Madagascar, the official celebration was held in Antsiranana, a city in the north of the country, 1119 km from the capital, which is difficult to access by road. These logistical constraints limited the active participation of organizations, including the Centre Arrupe Madagascar (CA MDG), coming from the capital to the official celebration. However, the Executive Secretary of the National Committee for the Fight against AIDS (CNLS) encouraged each organization to mark the day of December 1 according to their possibility.

The radio show: a space for information and reflection

Our Radio program on November 28 was dedicated to marking World AIDS Day, with a focus on the theme “Let’s Follow the Path of Law.” The discussions highlighted often violated rights such as access to information and basic health infrastructure. The speakers recalled that “everyone and everyone has the responsibility to eliminate HIV by 2030”. True to its commitment, our radio program helped to highlight the issues and challenges related to the implementation of universal law. The person must be at the heart of all actions, and non-discrimination and social justice must be the priority of the activities carried out.

Reflections during the program, thanks to the direct intervention of listeners, also highlighted the urgency of improving access to testing and treatment services in remote areas. They highlighted the importance of raising awareness among communities about their health rights and breaking the taboos surrounding HIV/AIDS.

The program also provided an opportunity to review the Regional Symposium that took place on October 22, 23 and 24 of this year in Antananarivo. Indeed, the 20th Regional Symposium on AIDS brought together representatives of civil and private organizations, experts and national and international policy makers, with the aim of strengthening control strategies, popularizing research advances, and adopting inclusive approaches. The main challenge is to make known the epidemiological situation of each country in the area, whose prevalence is sometimes underestimated, as is the case in Madagascar.

Towards a national platform of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)

Faced with the alarming situation in Madagascar, there is a call for collaboration from everywhere, and efforts against the scourge of HIV must be intensified, and one of the major responses is the creation of a national platform bringing together civil society organizations committed to the fight against HIV/AIDS. In this context, the MDG Board of Directors has committed itself to the ad hoc committee, in charge of preparing the General Assembly intended to formalize this platform. In order to maximize the impact of initiatives and build advocacy capacity, it is crucial to pool strength, and this is a testament to the critical role of civil society in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

While the official celebration of World AIDS Day took place in a remote region that is difficult to access because of the rains, local meetings have been organized to maintain the momentum of awareness, the ad hoc committee continues this work of drafting the documents necessary for the official establishment of the platform. The forthcoming formalization of this structure also constitutes the basis for enhanced collaboration between the CSOs themselves as well as with the CNLS.

The Ravens were reunited with the

Centre Arrupe Madagascar.

By, Communications Team,

Centre-Arrupe-Madagascar.