Mr Osho Coker,Secretary to the President

President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma has said in a nationwide broadcast that HIV and AIDS would continue to be one of the key issues in his Government's development agenda in the Agenda for Prosperity. The President gave this assurance in his nationwide broadcast message as President of Sierra Leone and Chairman of the National HIV/AIDS Commission to commemorate World AIDS Day on Saturday 1st December 2012.

According to President Koroma, the day marks yet another World AIDS Day, a day Sierra Leone continue to commemorate and to demonstrate its commitment to addressing HIV/AIDS.He said ‘it is a great honor for him to address the nation on an issue that is very pertinent to Sierra Leone’s economic growth, prosperity and survival as a nation’. The Chief Executive Officer said Sierra Leone can achieve the Global theme for this year’s commemoration “Getting to the Three Zeros by 2015” through collectively harnessing its full will power and the full engagement of its partnership with civil society and development partners. He said Sierra Leone’s national HIV prevalence has stabilized at 1.5% over a four-year period and that it is now witnessing a decline in the infection rate among pregnant women.

Procession match on WAD 2012

The President cited that in 2010, the country won the Millennium Development Goal award for its effort and commitment as a nation to address HIV/AIDS, adding that in January 2013, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe will represent Africa on the UNAIDS Programme Coordination Board for the next three years. He expressed concerns that funds for the global fight against HIV/AIDS are decreasing and that this is a serious challenge for which the country must be prepared to meet this challenge by raising funds locally, sharing costs and partnering with the private sector. “We need to strengthen or partnerships with civil society and the private sector in the financing and delivery of HIV/AIDS services to our people” the President maintained. He assured that as a Government, they will remain committed for a well governed HIV response and urged mothers and fathers to be accountable to their children to ensure that the virus is not transmitted to their unborn.

First Lady Madam Sia Koroma making a statement on WAD 2012

Finally, President Koroma thanked all development partners both bilateral and multilateral, including the Global Fund and UN partners who continue to provide support to Sierra Leone’s efforts in combating the disease. He then registered his Government's appreciation to the Network of HIV Positives and all Sierra Leoneans who have remained committed to the cause of fighting HIV/AIDS and its injustices.

Bockarie Samba of UNAIDS,chairman on the occasion WAD 2012