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The Best of Car Free Day As Rwanda Welcomes ICASA Delegates

by Jean de la Croix Tabaro
8:34 am

First Lady Jeannette Kagame(third left) at car free day among other officials

The City of Kigali is used to the Car free day, a couple of hours dedicated to mass sport to increase fitness and good health condition among the city dwellers once every month.

However, on December 1,2019, the car free day was special since it coincided with celebration of World’s AIDS day which falls on December 1st.

The car free day consists of a run from the car free area in central business district, down to Rwanda Revenue Authority among other areas.

Participants run, ride, or skate without any hindrance of motor car along and practice some fitness exercises led by physic education professionals.

They also undergo tests of several diseases in collaboration with the Ministry of health.

During the yesterday’s car free day, thousands of participants who were joined by First Lady Jeannette Kagame who is a regular attendant, the representatives of World Health Organisation among other officials from Rwanda and abroad were received by Health practitioners for HIV/AIDS test.

“Glad to be “home” in Rwanda to celebrate World AIDS Day,” wrote Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Director-General of the World Health Organization who was also part of Car Free Day.

“Huge thanks to my sister Jeannette Kagame, the First Lady of Rwanda for Walking The Talk for Health with us today!”

“Always happy to have Dr tedros home. RDV tomorrow early morning at the Car Free Day as part of ICASA 2019 Rwanda and to celebrate World AIDS Day,” had said Dr Diane Gashumba of Health the day earlier to invite Tedros.

The Car Free Day also served as the firs event of the International Conference on Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) that is taking place in Kigali from December 2 through 7.
The first Press conference of this event shared performance of Rwanda in fight against HIV/AIDS where the country is now offering anti retrovirus to every person infected with HIV AIDS.
“It’s world’s Aid Day. In Rwanda over 80% of all people living with HIV know their status and 98% of them are on life-saving treatment. Of those, 90% have achieved viral suppression, meaning they have almost no risk of transmitting the virus to others,” said Dr Tedros.