Youth advised to test for HIV with their partners

The National Youth Council chairperson, Lillian Aber, has called upon the youth to take their partners for HIV/AIDS testing before engaging in sexual activities.

Aber said many youths engage in sexual acts with their partners without knowing their status.

She made the remarks during the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Youth Affairs at Christian Community Church in central division, Kitgum Municipality.

According to a 2018 report published ahead of World Aids Day in 2018, the HIV prevalence rate in Kitgum district stands at 7.3% which is higher than the national rate of 6.7%.

Aber said engaging in sex without knowing one's status will expose the youth to the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases

"Please if you get your partner, take her/him for voluntary HIV/AIDS counselling and testing to know his/her status. HIV/AIDS cannot be seen with the naked eye," said Aber.

She advised the youth to avoid multiple partners that will expose them to HIV/AIDS.

Aber also requested the youth who are living with the virus to avoid infecting others, remain faithful to their partners and adhere to antiretroviral drugs so that they live longer.

She also called on medical workers to carry out extensive sex education and appealed to the district's health department to make sure that antiretroviral drugs are always available and easily accessible in all the government health facilities.

Dr Henry Okello Otto, the HIV focal point person at Kitgum Government Hospital, said an April 2018 report indicates that out of 53,420 people who tested for HIV from the hospital show that 2082 were found to be positive of which 1209 are female and 873 male.

He said the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS is very high among the youth between the ages of 15-28 years, especially among girls.

Okello said out of 10,851 people living with HIV/AIDS that are on antiretroviral drugs at Kitgum Hospital, 6,993 are females and 3,858 are males with retention rate at 64% and viral suppression at 87%.

"Most men do not want to go for HIV testing. This could be because of poor health-seeking behaviours they have," he remarked.

The Kitgum resident district commissioner, Christopher Omara, called on the health department in the district to strengthen the sensitisation and the mobilisation of the young people testing their HIV status in a bid to curb the deadly virus.