Southern Sudan government passes resolution to bolster fight against HIV/AIDS

The Council of Ministers in southern Sudan on Friday passed a resolution to streamline HIV/AIDS programs at all ministries and independent commissions, as well as at the state level, the Sudan Tribune reports.

According to the Tribune, the resolution directed the institutions to establish their own HIV/AIDS departments or units to promote awareness campaigns among civil servants. It also called for partnerships with civil society organizations and the private sector to scale up efforts against the disease.

The resolution also stated that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology would develop a curriculum to incorporate HIV/AIDS awareness programs into the education system from primary to university levels in the southern part of the country. Bellario Ahoy Ngong, chair of the Southern Sudan HIV/AIDS Commission, said that the millions of internally displaced people and refugees from northern Sudan and neighboring countries could impact the spread of HIV/AIDS and that the majority of the population in southern Sudan is unaware of the threat of the disease. Ngong also called on the government to assist the commission and the health ministry in fighting HIV/AIDS.

Ngong also promoted HIV testing so that people become aware of their status and urged members of the government to demonstrate the importance of HIV testing to the public. The resolution also called for the establishment of testing centers near the borders of neighboring countries (Gatdet Dak, Sudan Tribune, 9/7).