Damp weather and cloudy skies on the morning of Dec. 1 could not deter 5,000 people from converging on the town of Siteki in Eastern Swaziland to commemorate World AIDS Day.

The day of activities, which included participation by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and other NGOs, kicked off with a procession across the town led by a military marching band. At the head of the march, members of Swaziland’s uniformed forces carried a banner adorned with a red ribbon and a slogan calling for universal access to treatment, prevention and human rights in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Dr Nduduzo Dube
Medical Director, Lamvelase Help Centre
Manzini, Swaziland