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The HIV Unit at the Port Loko Government Referral Hospital has shed light on key progress and ongoing challenges in HIV response as the world marks this year’s World AIDS Day. Health officials used the occasion to encourage early testing, consistent treatment, and community support in the fight to end AIDS by 2030.
Mr. Abass Mohamed, Data Collection Officer at the hospital, explained that providing a complete statistical picture for the entire district remains difficult. This, he said, is due to the multiple health units across Port Loko District—including Lungi, Lunsar, Masiaka, and Gberay Junction—where HIV cases are recorded daily.
“Only the national database can give the full, accurate district figures” he noted. However, he pointed out that the hospital currently has many people actively responding to treatment.
Mr. Mohamed emphasized that treatment services at the referral hospital are running effectively, and health workers are committed to pushing towards this year’s World AIDS Day theme, focused on accelerating actions to end AIDS by 2030.
Madam Isha, a councilor at the hospital’s HIV Unit, encouraged community members to take advantage of free testing services and seek early treatment.
“HIV is no longer a death sentence if detected early and properly managed. We want people—especially commercial sex workers and other high-risk groups—to come forward without fear or shame,” she urged.
Health officials reaffirmed that continuous awareness, stigma reduction, and community participation remain essential in strengthening Port Loko’s contribution to the national HIV response effort.
World AIDS Day is commemorated globally each year on December 1 to honor those living with HIV, remember lives lost, and highlight ongoing commitments to prevention, care, and treatment.
