On Tuesday, November 29, 2011, from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM, at 17 Rue El Nouzah, the city of Nice is mobilizing for “World AIDS Day.” By implementing a program to improve the health of the homeless population, in accordance with the Local Public Health Plan.
Thus, as part of the 2011 World AIDS Day, the El Nouzah Day Center and its partners have aimed to offer the homeless present on the site activities and information on HIV prevention, in a festive and conducive environment for exchange.
The operation will be conducted as follows:
An Information Stand (distribution of flyers, answering user questions, provision of condoms) will be set up by the volunteers of the “AIDES” Association and the anonymous and free testing center (CDAG).
There will be card games on the theme of prevention by the Health Info Bus of the General Council of Alpes-Maritimes, as well as a free expression workshop with the psychologist of the Day Center. It will conclude with a brainstorming session with the educator of the Day Center.
The young volunteers from Unis-Cité will connect the activities.
The city of Nice and its participation in this event is thus an added contribution to the immense effort that is “World AIDS Day.”
According to estimates, nearly 33 million people are currently infected worldwide, including 150,000 in France. HIV is currently the main global pandemic and kills more than 2 million people each year. Although treatments exist, they are not always effective, and more than 70% of the people affected in developing countries do not have access to them.
It was in 1983 that a team from the Pasteur Institute isolated the virus responsible for AIDS for the first time. It is from this discovery and the exemplary interaction that occurred between specialists from different disciplines that progress has been made. More than 20 years later, AIDS remains a scourge and therefore a priority research field for the Pasteur Institute. This involves research on the evolution of the infection, the variability of the virus, the mechanisms of entry and multiplication of HIV in human cells, the transmission of the virus – including between mother and child – and of course, treatments and vaccine candidates.
All these research and advancements show us the importance of such global mobilization. So, on December 1, 2011, let us not forget this deadly scourge.
