A church service this morning at the Spring Gardens Moravian Church will officially commence activities to celebrate World AIDS Day in Antigua and Barbuda

The activities organized by the AIDS Secretariat run from November 27 to December 2.

The following day, Monday, November 28, is dubbed Media Day, and members of the Secretariat will appear on various media outlets to educate the public.

HIV Education sessions will be held in the secondary schools on Tuesday, November 29, and there will be an Open House and Street Fair at the corner of Long and Temple Streets.

Then, on World AIDS Day, December 1, a “Rock the Red Ribbon Day” is being hosted, and persons are asked to wear something red to highlight HIV and AIDS awareness. 

There will also be the World AIDS Day March which makes its way from the old House of Culture through the streets of St. John’s and end at the Antigua Recreation Grounds.

The Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union will also host a World AIDS Day HIV Testing and Education Session at its headquarters. 

And on Friday, December 2, there will be a World AIDS Day event for the Spanish community in front of the AIDS Secretariat.

Barbuda will also be incorporated into the awareness campaign.

There will be an HIV Testing and Health Screening exercise at the Fisheries Complex; a Glow March through Codrington; a Street Fair; a church service; and an HIV-Awareness Dance between December 8 to 10.

World AIDS Day, designated on 1 December every year since 1988, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who have died of the disease.

The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

The HIV attacks the immune system of the patient and reduces its resistance to other ‘diseases’.

Government and health officials, non-governmental organizations, and individuals around the world observe the day, often with education on AIDS prevention and control.