Close to 3,000 people from the police corps, health sector, national and international stakeholders in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and the general public, marched in Yaounde on Saturday November 26 2011, took part in the launch to sensitise Cameroonians on the spread of the disease. The esplanade of the General Delegation for National Security served as the starting line. As early as 6 am, people streamed into the premises to dress up in T-shirts and caps carrying special sensitisation messages on the pandemic.
By 6:30 am, the huge crowd was already telling of the magnitude of the event. Exercises spiced by music from the police ban warmed up the crowd and few minutes to 7 am, it was take off time. For close to an hour, the stretch of road from the General Delegation to Nouvelle Route Bastos through Rond Point Nlongkak and Bastos, was humming like bees heading for their hive. Four kilometres was the distance covered.
The marchers, led by the Minister of Public Health, André Mama Fouda, and the Delegate General for National Security, Martin Mbarga Nguelé accompanied by Marie-Therese Abena Ondoa, Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, invited onlookers to join in chanting the slogan “AIDS Free Generation ». “Zero new infection, zero discrimination and zero death from HIV/AIDS,” remains the watchword. The solidarity march which fell within the framework of the official launch of activities to commemorate World AIDS Day, André Mama Fouda, explained, was aimed at advocating for zero infection in the society.
The Delegate General for National Security, Martin Mbarga Nguelé, was not only grateful for being included in preparatory activities, but invited the entire police corps to be part of government’s initiative to win the war against the spread of the disease.
The 2011 National and World AIDS Week, with emphasis on mothers and children without AIDS, Marie-Therese Abena Ondoa said, was an opportunity for women to take advantage and do their HIV tests. “For those who are HIV negative, I advise them to remain negative by taking preventive measures and for those who are positive, I encourage them to undergo other tests so they can receive treatment,” she urged. “When you are on treatment, you can have children without HIV/AIDS and if there are newborn babies without HIV/AIDS, we can have a generation free of the pandemic,” she explained. From André Mama Fouda to Martin Mbarga Nguelé and Marie-Therese Abena Ondoa, the cry was for Cameroonians to screen for HIV/AIDS, adopt preventive measures, go for treatment and most importantly, work towards a country free of AIDS. “Prevention remains the surest means to avoid contracting the disease, but undergoing treatment is also primordial for those infected. We can assure them that treatment is free and available,” Marie-Therese Ondoa said.
