The Department of Infection Prevention and Control in
King Abdulaziz Medical City – Jeddah organized the (AIDS Awareness Day) on the occasion of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) World Day under the slogan "AIDS Treatment Pays Off, Early Diagnosis .. Early Treatment" with the presence of His Excellency Dr. Mansour Al Jundi, the Executive Director of Medical Services, Western Region and a number of KAMC-J’s departments such as (the Blood Bank, Social services Department, Clinical Nutrition Department and Nursing Services), as well as Bahra’s both Primary Health Care Center and Society of Patient Friends in addition to the National AIDS Program (NAP), the Saudi Charity Society for AIDS Patients (
SACA) and the
Saudi Red Crescent Authority.
The related events main focus was to provide health education to patients, outpatient clinics visitors as well as health staff such as doctors, nursing and technicians. This year event was characterized by providing health counselling and developing of an electronic interactive training programs which help in delivering health information in a simplified manner for different levels of education and suitable for all ages.
Moreover, the awareness programs included competitions and educational materials about the public health preventive and treatment methods, AIDS infection among children and pregnant women, drugs used in AIDS treatment and its psychological, social, and health complications as well as the clinical nutrition for patients living with AIDS.
On another note, Dr. Abdulhakeem AlThaqafi, the Co-CEO of the Department of Infection Prevention and Control stressed out the need to support the epidemiological investigation programs in order to define the real size and determinants of this virus occurrence and spread and select appropriate interventions on both national and regional levels to achieve the global groundbreaking vision “Zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, zero AIDS-related deaths”, taking into account the patients’ physical, mental, social and health rights.
Furthermore, Dr. Faysal Farahat, thePublic Health Consultant in KAMC-J explained the that the
World Health Organization's strategy to combat HIV is based on four Strategic directions which are optimize HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care outcomes, strengthen linkages and synergies between HIV and other related health programs, build strong and sustainable systems which ensures HIV and other essential services are available, accessible, affordable and sustainable and lastly reduce vulnerability and remove structural barriers to accessing services.
Finally, Dr. Mansour Al Jundi pointed out that the NGHA aimed to develop and update health services and primary health care centers to meet the needs of both the NGHA’s employees and the citizens, as well as stressing the importance of awareness and education regarding this disease and that the awareness and education are a local and a global strategy adhered by the Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs.