Dr K Akaho Sema, Senior Specialist, Hezukhu Memorial District Hospital, Zunheboto along with others on May 18. (Photo Courtesy: Viketo, District Program Assistant)
Morung Express News
Zunheboto | May 18
The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Service 2025 was held under the theme “Don’t Forget to Remember” at the Amiphoto Prayer Fellowship, ZTSBC Zunheboto. The event was organised by the District Integrated Strategy on HIV/AIDS (DISHA) in collaboration with the Network of Zunheboto People Living with HIV/AIDS (NZP+).
The programme was chaired by Kaholi V and began with an invocation prayer by Akiho Chophy, Monthly and Evaluation Assistant, DISHA Zunheboto.
Dr K Akaho Sema, Senior Specialist, Hezukhu Memorial District Hospital, Zunheboto, addressed the gathering. He emphasised the significance of the day, noting that it is observed annually on the third Sunday of May to remember those who have died due to HIV & AIDS, to pray for those still living with it and to honor healthcare workers supporting the cause.
“It’s been more than forty years since we began the fight against HIV & AIDS. In the past, people believed that a person diagnosed with HIV & AIDS would inevitably die. But that is no longer the case,” Dr Sema said. “Today, we have advanced medical facilities, modern treatment technologies, and trained professionals. Not everyone with HIV will develop AIDS — and it’s important for people to understand the difference.”
He further explained that many people progress to AIDS only because they do not go for regular and proper treatment. “With the right medications and consistent care, HIV-positive individuals can live as long as anyone else.”
Dr Sema also stressed that HIV is not easily transmitted when proper precautions and treatment are followed. “It is not spread through casual contact, such as touching, eating together, sharing clothes or towels, or kissing. We must stop the stigma and treat those living with HIV as we would our loved ones.”
He added that if a pregnant woman living with HIV receives appropriate treatment, the risk of transmission to her baby is virtually 0.1%.
“We must not discriminate against people living with HIV & AIDS. Instead, we should support and encourage them,” he concluded.
A special prayer was offered for People Living with HIV (PLHIV), followed by a candlelight ceremony in remembrance of those who lost their lives to HIV & AIDS.
