Morocco to launch anti-AIDS media campaign

Moroccan Communication Minister and Government Spokesman, Nabil Benabdellah, announced Wednesday, that a nationwide media campaign will be organized in the near future to raise public awareness about the disease.

Benabdellah, who was speaking during the parliament's question-time, said this unprecedented campaign will target all citizens, particularly young people aged 14 to 20 and women.

The campaign, part of a project supervised by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, aims at providing advice to AIDS patients and guide them to the specialized health services, he pointed out.

It is also destined to redress the "humiliating image" of people affected by AIDS, and propagate a new image that encourages their integration into the society and allow them to lead a normal life and benefit from all rights.

Some 1,316 cases of AIDS were reported in Morocco until December 2003, according to a recent report on the epidemiological situation of AIDS in Morocco released by the Health Ministry.

The report says 44% of AIDS patients are aged from 30 to 39, 25% from 15 to 29, 18% from 40 to 49 and 3% are less than 15 years old.