The President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has by Proclamation declared Sunday, December 1, 2024 as “World AIDS Day” to be observed throughout the Republic on Monday, December 2, 2024 as a working holiday, in recognition of the immense contribution of the United Nations to combat HIV and AIDS. According to a Foreign Ministry release, this year’s World Aids Day will be celebrated under the Theme: ‘COLLECTIVE ACTION: SUSTAIN AND ACCELERATE HIV PROGRESS’ as well as the National theme: ‘ONE GOAL, ONE FIGHT: ENDING AIDS TOGETHER IN LIBERIA’

The Proclamation calls on all Ministries and Agencies of Government, local and international organizations as well as the general public to join the National Aids commission, to organize and execute appropriate programs befitting the occasion. The release says that the citizenry of Liberia constitutes a vital resource of the nation, and the Government is cognizant to improving the quality of life of its people by promulgating and promoting programs aimed at improving their health, wellbeing, and welfare, thereby preventing deaths and illnesses amongst the entire populace. The Presidential Proclamation stated that the United Nations Joint Program on HIV/ AIDS (UNAIDS), has designated the first day of December of each year as ‘World AIDS Day’ in recognition of the immense contributions of the United Nations to combat HIV/AIDS.

The Proclamation further indicated that the principles of creating awareness of the threat of HIV/AIDS embodied in the policies of the Government, as adopted, are in accordance with those recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Joint Program on the HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), to educate and keep the Liberian People aware of the threat of AIDS. Since the diagnosis of AIDS in 1981, it has continued to pose a serious problem and threats to the health and wellbeing of the human race, of which the People of Liberia are of no exception, the Proclamation added.