KAVI- ICR has a well-established Community Office which proved vital in our efforts to
engage community, stakeholders and policy makers. The Institute has been utilizing the
already established links by our community mobilizers to reach out to the community through
peer leaders as a way of encouraging sustainability even after the clinical trials or programmes are over.
The current calendar year (2020) was not very conducive for our main community activities
due to the COVID -19 pandemic and as such we did note undertake the following activities
that we cover every year:
i) World AIDS Vaccine Day:
HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD) is observed annually on May 18th 2020. This
observance provides an opportunity to recognize and thank the many volunteers,
community members, health professionals, and scientists who are working together to
find a safe and effective preventive HIV vaccine. It is also a day to educate communities
across the nation about the importance of preventive HIV vaccine research.
World AIDS Day is held on 1 December each year and is an opportunity for people
worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with
HIV and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day is important as it
reminds the public and Government that HIV has not gone away – there is still a vital
need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.
