Ugandan youth face greater risk of HIV
Oct 24, 2007
THE AIDS scourge has taken the lives of over 30 million youth between the ages of 15 and 20 in the past years. Nearly 12 million young people are living with HIV. Girls are more vulnerable to HIV infection than boys of the same age bracket.
By Jacklyn Abongowath
THE AIDS scourge has taken the lives of over 30 million youth between the ages of 15 and 20 in the past years. Nearly 12 million young people are living with HIV. Girls are more vulnerable to HIV infection than boys of the same age bracket.
The situation in Uganda is very frightening. The national HIV/AIDS incidence is said to be rising from about 6% to 7%, which means that more people are catching the disease at a faster rate.
These numbers not only show the need to constantly re-assess our approach to issues pertaining to HIV/AIDS but also to renew our commitment to the youth as a priority in fighting the scourge.
The physical and psychological attributes of adolescence make the youth more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Young people are often exposed to the risk because in most cases they are inexperienced, less informed, financially weak and socially dependent on their peers for much of their knowledge on sexual behaviour.
The few who would approach their parents and guardians find it difficult to break the cultural barriers that dictate that children do not discuss sex with their parents.
As a researcher, I have found out that even some parents are ignorant about the means through which HIV/AIDS is spread, let alone other issues concerning reproductive health. Because of that, usually gullible young people end up being misinformed about HIV/AIDS and fall victim to an otherwise preventable disease.
The spread of HIV/AIDS especially among the youth can be prevented by all of us joining hands with the Government, development partners and other stakeholders to set up youth friendly services.
The fight against the disease must start at the grassroots. Communities have to devise measures to serve the youth better. Serving the youth will involve increased sensitisation and provision of regular counselling, testing and treatment services. Communities have to encourage young people to feel free to have voluntary counselling and testing.
In a recent report on HIV/AIDS prevalence, it was noted that young people are reluctant to use condoms. Could it be because of the replacement of condom billboards?
Condom promotion should be encouraged among people who are sexually active since that is a sure way to have “unfaithful people†protected against HIV infection. The faithful therefore cannot dictate abstinence on everyone because people are different.
Local communities and the Government must intensify sex education programmes for all youth. Sex education is important because young people are more empowered when they are made aware of issues concerning adolescent sexual reproduction health, right from the lowest levels like primary schools.
However, there is a big challenge of reaching the out-of-school youth like street children and the homeless. These marginalised people need special programmes. We cannot give up the idea of sharing a common destiny.
Every Ugandan has a social responsibility to reach out to the disadvantaged people even if it means providing volunteer services. It could be through giving information similar to what the Straight Talk Foundation is doing to enable the disadvantaged people avoid infection.
No country is assured of the future if its future leaders are languishing in ignorance, poverty and disease. HIV/AIDS has been defined by some people as a socio-economic disease. We need determination to fight it from all fronts to ensure it does not defeat us. Young people have a right to long, prosperous and healthy lives.
The writer works with Straight Talk Foundation
THE AIDS scourge has taken the lives of over 30 million youth between the ages of 15 and 20 in the past years. Nearly 12 million young people are living with HIV. Girls are more vulnerable to HIV infection than boys of the same age bracket.
The situation in Uganda is very frightening. The national HIV/AIDS incidence is said to be rising from about 6% to 7%, which means that more people are catching the disease at a faster rate.
These numbers not only show the need to constantly re-assess our approach to issues pertaining to HIV/AIDS but also to renew our commitment to the youth as a priority in fighting the scourge.
The physical and psychological attributes of adolescence make the youth more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Young people are often exposed to the risk because in most cases they are inexperienced, less informed, financially weak and socially dependent on their peers for much of their knowledge on sexual behaviour.
The few who would approach their parents and guardians find it difficult to break the cultural barriers that dictate that children do not discuss sex with their parents.
As a researcher, I have found out that even some parents are ignorant about the means through which HIV/AIDS is spread, let alone other issues concerning reproductive health. Because of that, usually gullible young people end up being misinformed about HIV/AIDS and fall victim to an otherwise preventable disease.
The spread of HIV/AIDS especially among the youth can be prevented by all of us joining hands with the Government, development partners and other stakeholders to set up youth friendly services.
The fight against the disease must start at the grassroots. Communities have to devise measures to serve the youth better. Serving the youth will involve increased sensitisation and provision of regular counselling, testing and treatment services. Communities have to encourage young people to feel free to have voluntary counselling and testing.
In a recent report on HIV/AIDS prevalence, it was noted that young people are reluctant to use condoms. Could it be because of the replacement of condom billboards?
Condom promotion should be encouraged among people who are sexually active since that is a sure way to have “unfaithful people†protected against HIV infection. The faithful therefore cannot dictate abstinence on everyone because people are different.
Local communities and the Government must intensify sex education programmes for all youth. Sex education is important because young people are more empowered when they are made aware of issues concerning adolescent sexual reproduction health, right from the lowest levels like primary schools.
However, there is a big challenge of reaching the out-of-school youth like street children and the homeless. These marginalised people need special programmes. We cannot give up the idea of sharing a common destiny.
Every Ugandan has a social responsibility to reach out to the disadvantaged people even if it means providing volunteer services. It could be through giving information similar to what the Straight Talk Foundation is doing to enable the disadvantaged people avoid infection.
No country is assured of the future if its future leaders are languishing in ignorance, poverty and disease. HIV/AIDS has been defined by some people as a socio-economic disease. We need determination to fight it from all fronts to ensure it does not defeat us. Young people have a right to long, prosperous and healthy lives.
The writer works with Straight Talk Foundation