Posts
The United Nations Secretary-General
Ban Ki-Moon has appointed Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, a former Ugandan
vice-president, as his special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Former Ugandan vice-president
Specioza Wandira Kazibwe (monitor)
Kazibwe, a Harvard graduate, was
until recently a senior adviser to the president on issues of population and
health.
From 1993 to 2004, however, she was
vice-president of Uganda, the first woman in Africa to hold such a position. A
trained surgeon, Kazibwe also serves as a member of the champions for an
HIV-Free generation initiative
“I am honoured and very delighted to
take on this new and challenging role in this crucial time of the AIDS
response,” said Kazibwe, in a statement posted on the Joint United Nations
Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) website
As special envoy for HIV/AIDS in
Africa, she will reportedly help advance the AIDS response in Africa by
advocating for the proactive engagement and involvement of all sectors of
society.
“We look forward to working closely
with such an experienced leader like Ms Wandira-Kazibwe,” said UNAIDS Executive
Director, Michel Sidibé.
I am convinced that her tireless
effort and commitment will help make change happen across Africa, she stressed.
Africa, according to the UN HIV/Aid
agency, continues to be more affected by HIV than any other region of the
world, accounting for 69% of people living with HIV globally.
Despite positive trends, it says,
there were still 1.8 million new HIV infections across the continent, and 1.2
million people died of AIDS-related illnesses in 2011.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus.
To learn more about The Friends of
AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
