No aid for AIDS in Madrid

At half past seven yesterday in the Puerta del Sol (Madrid, Spain), drums and whistles echoed through the square for citizens who wandered through the center of Madrid to put a little bit of attention.

The claim came from NGOs engaged in AIDS or HIV. Their cries of war and their banners were directed against the President of the Community of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre. "AIDS moves with Hope", "No Hope for HIV" (Esperanza’s name is translated in English as Hope) was the phrase most often heard during the demonstration.

But what is exactly the Community of Madrid doing to NGOs that deal with the issue of AIDS? According to the NGOs manifesto, they "are withdrawing support for associations that have programs to prevent HIV / AIDS in the Community of Madrid."

In fact, NGOs are concerned with the helplessness in which the people of Madrid are in the prevention of AIDS because "HIV prevalence rate in the general population in the Community of Madrid, according to recent studies, is 0.7% in normal people, and up to 25% in the most vulnerable groups " They also stated that in the autonomous community that is less affected is Catalonia, which this year is spending in preventing HIV transmission through NGOs 1,5 million of Euros this year.

At the top of the banner were Pedro Zerolo, secretary of Social Movements and Relations with NGOs of the PSOE and the Attachment to the Ministry of Social Policy and Equality of CC.OO. Madrid, Horacio Márquez. "The Community of Madrid is only active in the distribution of condoms and lubricants, insufficient measures to prevent HIV," Marquez said during the protest.

Protesters finished with batuka dances. If Esperanza ignores their proposals one more time, they will lead to the Casa de Correos, the current headquarters of the Presidency of the Community of Madrid.