Tuesday is World AIDS Day, a day to remember those lost to the disease and call attention to the fact that the epidemic is not over, with an estimated 36.9 million people living with HIV or AIDS worldwide.
It was started back in 1988 by the World Health Organization to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS and mourn those who had already fallen victim to the virus.
Those of you who remember the 1980s will recall the fear — the HIV and AIDS epidemic was raging unabated in this country and around the world and thousands upon thousands were dying.
President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in their messages on the occasion said the government is taking concrete steps for prevention and control of HIV and AIDS.
The President said all public sector hospitals are carrying out free of cost screening of blood and blood products for HIV and Hepatitis B and C to minimize the spread of HIV.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in his separate message, said Pakistan is moving towards sustainable national financing to fight this disease.
He urged civil society, academia and media to play their effective role in educating the people on how to prevent the disease.