Zimbabwe Marks World Aids Day With Activities in ChivhuCHIVHU — Zimbabwe joined the rest of the world in marking World Aids Sunday with activities in Chivhu where the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Sithembiso Nyoni delivering a key note address on behalf of First Lady Grace Mugabe promising the government will re-double its efforts in the fight against HIV/Aids. Activities in Garwe stadium included music and drama as the National Aids Council joined hands with other stakeholders in spreading the message about HIV/Aids. The theme for this year’s World Aids Day was ‘Zero New Infections, Your Responsibility, My Responsibility’. The main message for the day that was delivered by speaker after speaker was the need for the country to continue fighting the deadly disease to reduce new infections. “The government is committed to addressing the problem of HIV and Aids in the country by making sure we eradicate all new HIV infections by scaling up provision and availability of prevention services that have proven to work,” said Nyoni. These include voluntary HIV testing and counseling, voluntary medical circumcision and the preventions of mother to child transmission. World AIDS Day is held annually on December 1 since 1988. HIV/AIDS campaigners say World AIDS Day is important because it reminds the public and governments that AIDS has not vanished. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says an estimated 35 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. More than 25 million people have died globally from HIV/AIDS since 1981, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history. World AIDS Day is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against the disease, show their support for people living with the disease, and to remember those who have died from the disease. Campaigners say there is a "vital need" to raise money to find a cure, increase awareness, fight prejudice against those living with HIV/AIDS, and improve education to prevent the spread of the disease.