MOROGORO: AIDS Trust Fund has encouraged youth and adults to build a culture of physical exercise to improve their health. To ensure that the community engage in exercising, AIDS Trust Fund organised a half marathon in Morogoro.
AS AIDS Trust Fund (ATF) Marathon continues in Morogoro region, Geita Gold Mining Limited (GGML) has donated 17m/- towards its success that goes in line with the government’s efforts in the fight against the spread of HIV/ AIDS. In the course, the first winner of the 21km race was awarded with 300,000/-, the second bagged 250,000/- and the third 200,000/-.
In Tanzania, the World AIDS Day will be graced by the Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa in Morogoro Region at the national level with the slogan ‘Society should lead the eradication of AIDS’. Neema Matheo, one of this year’s ATF marathon runners, said the exercise was important for the health of the citizens, noting that if people do not engage in physical exercise, their bodies become more susceptible to developing non-communicable diseases more, including heart disease and diabetes.
Organised by Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS) in ensuring that the ATF basket is able to sustain local fight against the ailment ahead of national commemoration of the World AIDS Day on 1st December, the company is taking a prime slot in a series of fund-raising drives. Speaking on the company’s participation at the ATF Marathon recently, GGM Relations and Communications Manager, Stephen Mhando, said their donation will contribute in enhancing sustainability of the fund as well as ensuring that the communities surrounding its operations are well informed about the scourge.
“These funds will directly touch the lives of people living with HIV and Geita, having a large number of miners who live within the KVP (key and vulnerable populations), it’s almost impossible that we would shy away from such a responsibility,” he said.
Gracing the occasion at Morogoro Secondary grounds in Morogoro Municipality, the Ministry of Health Deputy Secretary General, Wilson Charles said: “I commend the efforts of our stakeholders, including GGML and citizens for their participation in this race that is aimed at strengthening the AIDS Control Fund and supporting the policy of ‘Eradicating AIDS, Tanzania without AIDS is possible.” He further said that the public should exploit the chance by cooperating with the government in the fight against HIV infection that is slowing down the country’s development.
“I want to congratulate you for coming out in large numbers to participate in this race because you seem to be moved and interested in cooperating with the government to ensure that the goals of eliminating the infection by 2030 are achieved,” he said.
