Great Bay:--- World AIDS Day will be commemorated on Saturday, December 1, 2012 worldwide. The theme which was launched in 2011 and goes until 2015 is "Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths". The World AIDS Campaign focus on "Zero AIDS related deaths" signifies a push towards greater access to treatment for all; a call for governments to act now.
Minister of Public Health Social Development & Labor, Cornelius De Weever, is urging the community of St. Maarten to "Get Checked," and know their status. "As we reflect on the theme for World AIDS Day, we here in St. Maarten are doing our utmost to get to zero, as it relates to HIV infections, discrimination and deaths, so if we all "Get Checked" we are well on our way to zero status," said Minister De Weever.
Minister De Weever congratulated the HIV/AIDS Programme Management Team, the St. Maarten AIDS Foundation, and all entities in the private sector that in one way or the other has made and continues to make its contributions to St. Maarten "Getting to Zero."