CA Staff Urged to Play Role in Prevention, Redress and Removal of HIV and AIDS

In line with their mandate of  preventing, redressing and removing anti-competitive practices in the economy, staff of the Competition Authority have been urged to borrow the same language of ‘prevention’, ‘redressing’ and ‘removal’  and extend the same principles to the fight against HIV and AIDS.

The call was made by the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Thula Kaira, to staff of the Authority on World AIDS Day on December 1^st which was commemorated this year under the theme  “Getting to Zero: Zero New HIV Infections, Zero Discrimination and Zero Aids Related Deaths.

Mr Kaira identified prevention as the best medicine. “Prevention of HIV/AIDS infections is a matter that we should be concerned because, while there are ARVs to deal with HIV/AIDS, the best remedy remains that of preventing new infections. We as Team CA can prevent new infections amongst ourselves and our beloved by ensuring that we keep ourselves free from casual, illegal and immoral sexual activities”, he said.

Regarding redress in relation to HIV/AIDS, he called for individuals to do so by looking at their own existing sexual activities. “Where we have made mistakes and by God’s grace we have not contracted HIV or AIDS, we need to ensure that we do not repeat the same mistakes. Where we have been planning to play or are already playing with fire, let us ask ourselves whether we are ready to live with the burns. The pleasures we seek are normally not as pleasurable when we actually find them. The old saying is actually true: Not all that glitters is gold” Kaira noted.

Addressing the principle of removal, the CEO cautioned staff against apathy saying there is need to remove any feeling of indifference towards HIV/AIDS messages.  “We need to use such opportunities as World AIDS Day to remove barriers to discussions and make this topic one of the intimate discussions we should have with our sexual partners. Let us remove the myth that we cannot discuss the topic with our teenage daughters and sons who are exploring and vulnerable to learn from the most destructive forces. Where we have our heads in the sand and hope that by the time our head is out we will see the problem no more, we need to remove our heads right now because the problem requires our conscious and active intervention…… I believe that we at the CA do not, and should not hold on to such myth”.

Earlier, when giving a Prayer and Motivational Talk, Pastor Mompati  Maruapula from the Anointed Gate Ministries called for love and support for those affected by HIV and AIDS, “we are all in this together and love them as you would love God”  he said. Pastor Maruapula further called for frank discussions and empowering people with information so that they can stay free from infection.