World AIDS Day 1998 was observed on 1 December in all countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region with a wide range of activities focussing on the theme of this year, Force for change, world AIDS campaign with young people. Activities in a few countries of the Region are given below.

Bahrain
World AIDS Day was observed for several days around 1 December with various activities with three main aims. The first aim was to raise awareness among the people about the disease AIDS, its cause, modes of transmission and methods of prevention. The second aim was to highlight the rights and obligations of people living with HIV/AIDS. The third aim was to show solidarity with the international community in the fight against AIDS.

The message of WHO's Regional Director was broadcast on television. A live phone-in programme with Dr Sumaiya AI Jowdar, National AIDS Programme Manager and an AIDS patient was telecast through the weekly TV programme Hayakum ma'ana (Welcome with us). Another TV session was arranged in which Dr Amal AI Jowdar, the Head of the Health Education Department at the Ministry of Health spoke about the role of health education in prevention of AIDS. In this session Dr Sumaiya AI Jowdar spoke about the epidemiology of AIDS, and an AIDS patient spoke about her experience with the disease.

A message from a girl with AIDS was broadcast in the radio in order to raise awareness among youths. An episode of the radio programme Doctors on air was devoted to AIDS issues. The local newspapers, both Arabic and English, published articles on AIDS and also a letter from a girl with AIDS. Posters were prepared and distributed widely. A meeting on AIDS: diagnosis, rights and obligations was organized under the patronage of the Minister of Health and was addressed by Dr Redha Ali Ebrahim, Consultant Rheumatologist and Director of Internal Medicine at Salmaniya Medical Complex, and Mr Yehya Ayoob, Legal Adviser at the Ministry of Health. Lectures on AIDS were given at social centres and secondary schools, particularly during the morning assembly. In cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs, part of the Friday sermon was devoted to AIDS issues.

Djibouti
On 29 November 1998, sensitization meetings were organized in three quartiers of Djibouti City, namely Quartier 7, Quartier 7bis and Balbala. These meetings were attended by young people and women as well as by local administrative authorities who spoke on the important role of traditional and religious beliefs in prevention of HIV infection. The epidemiological status of HIV/AIDS in Djibouti was also discussed at the meeting. On 30 November, three teams of physicians including WHO personnel visited high schools to discuss the situation of HIV/AIDS and modes of transmission in Djibouti and the role of young people, especially in health clubs in schools, in prevention and control of the epidemic.

A march against AIDS which was organized on 1 December with collaboration of a local association, Association for Physical Education and Sport Promotion, was launched by Mr Ahmed Saleh, who has participated in a number of international the marathons. An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 people including the WHO Representative and staff participated in the march. The march ended at a People's Palace where senior officials from the Ministry of Public Health and Social Affairs, National AIDS Programme and the WHO Representative's office addressed the gathering.

Other meetings were held elsewhere and were attended by representatives of Djibouti government, diplomatic corps, UN agencies and local and international nongovernmental organizations as well as by religious and community leaders and members of the community. At these meetings, speakers highlighted the HIV/AIDS situation in Djibouti and strategies for prevention and control. Young people from Quartiers 1 and 2 performed songs and skits. An information session on HIV/AIDS was held by the Organization of Social Protection, Ministry of Labour, for workers and employees of the port of Djibouti, employees, of Coubeche Enterprise and Ethiopian lorry drivers waiting at the port for boats and containers. World AIDS Day activities were also carried out in the four districts of the interior with meetings, lectures, sports, songs and drama. A round table discussion organized by the national television was participated by the officials of Ministry of Public Health and Social Affairs, WHO Representative and two persons living with HIV/AIDS National TV also broadcast the WHO Regional Director's message. Folders, T-shirts, stickers and other educational materials were widely distributed on the occasion.

Iraq
World AIDS Day was observed in Baghdad and in the governorates with meetings and lectures on HIV/AIDS and the theme of this year's campaign. The meeting, which was organized in Baghdad at the premises of the Family Planning Association in collaboration with the Association, was attended by WHO and UNDP representatives and representatives of nongovernmental organizations. A radio interview on HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases was broadcast and there was wide coverage of the event in the newspapers. Pamphlets, posters and other educational materials were distributed to the schools, nongovernmental organizations and public places all over the country.

Jordan
World AIDS Day activities were carried out in various governorates of the country, with the main activity at Salt, near Amman. A large meeting organized at the main hall of the city was attended by about 500 participants from different sectors, mainly youth representatives of various organizations. At the meeting the National AIDS Programme Manager presented the global and local AIDS situation and stressed the important role of youth in prevention of AIDS. Representatives of various organizations explained the effect of unsafe sexual and drug injecting behaviours and called upon the youths to follow the values of religion and tradition in order to avoid the risk of getting HIV infection.

Following a plan prepared by the Health Education Department in collaboration with National AIDS Programme, a number of educational sessions were held at the governorates emphasizing the role of youths in prevention of AIDS and stressing the importance of collaboration among concerned agencies. The College of Nursing organized a seminar for students at which all aspects of the AIDS epidemic were discussed including nursing care, role of nurses and attitude of health care workers towards HIV/AIDS. AI-Zaytooneh University in Amman organized an open day with an exhibition and distribution of leaflets and other educational materials. Delegates of various secondary schools in Jordan visited the National AIDS Programme to gather information about AIDS and were given educational materials. In a special television programme, messages from the Minister of Health and WHO's Regional Director were broadcast as well as interviews and discussions with AIDS specialists. Several essays and interviews with AIDS specialists were published in daily and weekly newspapers.

Kuwait
World AIDS Day activities began in the morning with a message from the Minister of Public Health on radio and television. A poster was prepared especially for the occasion and was widely distributed. Lectures were held in schools to increase awareness among students at higher level and in health centres to increase awareness among the general public about dangers of AIDS and its prevention. A radio quiz contest was held and prizes were given to the winners. AIDS messages were disseminated in Arabic and English language newspapers. Interviews with AIDS specialists and senior officials of the Ministry of Public Health were broadcast on TV and radio. Mosques participated in the event by including AIDS messages in the Friday speeches. A number of sports events were organized and prizes were distributed, with dissemination of messages on AIDS in between the events. They included football, table tennis, handball, squash and a marathon race. A gathering was organized for women and was accompanied by a musical band and quiz contest.

Lebanon
The National AIDS Programme (NAP) developed a number of educational materials on the occasion of World AIDS Day. A full colour fact sheet entitled You are concerned addressing youth was prepared in Arabic, English and French, and 100,000 copies were distributed. A young designer, Ms Zeina Chahda, designed the fact sheet free of cost. The Ronaldo poster was adapted to the Lebanese context by including a message in Arabic, and 2500 copies were distributed. Three TV spots entitled Protect ourselves, It is your decision and HIV/AIDS: sources of information were prepared and broadcast through seven TV channels. A folder containing information materials on AIDS related to the theme of the event was prepared and distributed. A booklet prepared previously for students was reprinted, and 10,000 copies were distributed.

The NAP, in collaboration with Future TV, organized a meeting on rights and duties of young people in a world of AIDS at the American University in Beirut. The meeting was attended by 100 young people and was addressed by various people including a lawyer, Mr Elie Moukhaiber, a psychologist, Ms May Majdalani, an infectious disease specialist, Dr Suha Kanj and the NAP Manager, Dr Mustafa El Nakib. The meeting was preceded by small fair on HIV/AIDS/STD organized by five nongovernmental organizations, namely Lebanese Red Cross, Soins infirmiers et développement communautaire (SIDC), Amel, Lebanese AIDS Society and Lebanese Family Planning Association (LFPA). The fair included games on HIV/AIDS/STD, film show and distribution of pamphlets, brochures and fact sheets. Future TV telecast the proceedings of the meeting at a later date during prime time.

The mass media extensively covered the World AIDS Day activities. Notable among the TV programmes were Future TV News, Alam al Sabah Programme, NBN TV News, Télé Lumier and Tahadiat Shabab AI Alfaine. A TV interview with WHO's Regional Director was also broadcast. They displayed messages on HIV/AIDS; and their regular features, such as health, comedy and morning talk shows, included the subject of AIDS. Among the radio programmes that broadcast live interviews, messages, reports and songs were Radio Vain for Armenians, Albasher, Voix du Liban, Liban Libre, Voix du Peuple and NBN. The newspapers and magazines that published news, articles and interviews on AIDS included AI-Safir, L'Orient le Jour, Daily Star, Liban Gazette, Almajalees Alkuwaitiah and AI Anwar.

A number of nongovernmental organizations participated actively in the event. They organized lectures and meetings at rural and urban areas and widely distributed educational materials at various places including intermediate, secondary and vocational school, universities, roads, cinemas, restaurants visited by youths, supermarkets and churches. The LFPA broadcast a song on HIV infection on a radio station. LFPA, SIDC, Armenian Relief Cross and Jeunesse contre la Drogue ensured round the clock availability of telephone hotline services. The Lebanese AIDS Society organized fund raising activities through enactment of a play entitled Lorsque l'enfant parait by André Roussin for more than two weeks and a violin concert by Nidaa Abou Mourad. The private sector also participated in various activities.

Oman
A national seminar was organized on 1 December in Muscat on the occasion of World AIDS Day. It was attended by doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, counsellors and health educators from various hospitals and health centres of Ministry of Health, Defence Health Establishment and private practitioners in the country. Nearly 400 delegates attended the seminar. The seminar included lectures on epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis, recent advances in management of HIV infection, nursing care, counselling and prevention. The seminar called upon the participants to propagate awareness about AIDS and its prevention among the people.

World AIDS Day was observed in all regions as well. AI Dhakiliya Region conducted 102 different activities attended by more than 6000 participants in all wilayats of the region. North Batinah Region organized 30 activities attended by more than 1500 participants while more than 3000 participants attended over 40 activities organized in South Batinah Region.

There was extensive mass media coverage in both Arabic and English by means of TV spots, radio talks and interviews and newspaper articles. The Manual on Management of HIV/AIDS was released by the Ministry of Health and was distributed to directorates general of health services of all regions, all hospitals, health centres, extended health centres, nursing institutes, sister health organizations, private sector and libraries. Traveller's cards, STD Case Management Quick Reference Chart and posters on World AIDS Day theme were distributed in all regions.

Saudi Arabia
On the occasion of World AIDS Day, two seminars were organized in Jeddah at King Abdel Aziz University, one at the Faculty of Arts and the other at the Faculty of Management. The specialists of the Faculty of Medicine addressed these seminars. In both seminars, the students openly asked questions and discussed matters related to AIDS. A poster competition was held for the students of the Faculty of Medicine and the best posters were printed and distributed. The Students Association prepared a number of slogans and banners and displayed them at university gates and main roads. Under the supervision of professor of Social Medicine and Health Care, students of the Faculty of Medicine gave lectures on AIDS in the senior level boys and girls schools.