adminCatherine Murombedzi H I V Column
SOMETHING needs to be urgently done to address the new HIV infections that are being recorded in the youths.
The age-group that is mostly affected is the 15 to 24 and has seen a marked trend in new HIV infections.
A total of nearly 120 000 youths in the said age-group is living with the HIV virus, the National Aids Council reported recently in Harare.
Dr Tapuwa Magure, NAC chief executive officer, said this to the HIV and Aids Parliamentary thematic committee chaired by MDC Senator for Midlands, Lilian Timveous.
“The National Aids Council is worried with the new HIV infections in the 15 to 24 age group. The trend is on the rise and of the 120 000 youths living with HIV, females are mostly affected as compared to males. We currently have +80 000 females against 38 000 males living with the HIV virus. There is a big problem which needs urgent attention,” Dr Magure said.
If the epidemic that is on the increase in those who have sexual debut in secondary schools, colleges and universities is left unchecked a health time bomb will explode.
Dr Magure attributed the rise in new infections in this age-group to social and economic challenges that the country is facing.
“If you go to colleges and universities nationally you will see big expensive cars parked there with young girls spending time with sugar daddies, fit to be their fathers. It is an issue of poverty as the girls do not have the negotiating power since the affair hinges on financial benefits,” Dr Magure said.
“This shows trans-generational sex where older men are infecting young females,” he added.
A very worrying trend is that of the teenagers caught in the web. This shows that they are sexually active. The15 to 18 age group is still in secondary school in most cases.
Dr Magure said through partnership with youths, NAC has gone out to universities and colleges and have met students especially new in-coming ones during orientations week.
“We work with a youth organisation called Say What. We have trained about 400 focal persons in universities and these help their fellows when they have questions or health problems. The young people relate better to each other. More still needs to be done and all parents with children in university or college have to talk with them. Gone are the years when sex was not talked of. It is every parent and guardian’s duty to address the challenge before it’s too late,” he added.
Dr Magure said NAC had been working at some universities, but intends to cover more ground.
“We are currently working with the University of Zimbabwe, Solusi and Chinhoyi University of Technology. We have stocked their clinics so that when someone tests HIV positive, the person can be counselled and initiated on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) at these centres. At the Midlands State University, we have worked with them for some years now and now have their university clinic accredited as a follow-up site for ART,” he said.
Dr Magure said some universities do not have proper clinics hence they are not able to stock ARVs.
“Some universities do not have proper clinic facilities, hence they cannot stock ARVs. They also lack trained personnel in ART management and this needs to be addressed first so that we cover all colleges and universities,” Dr Magure said.
A decade ago when universities gave grants and loans, the economic situation was not as bad as it is today and students did not depend on sugar daddies and mummies as is the case today.
University students need to know that they can refuse to have unprotected sex as this endangers their health. Who in their normal senses would like to sleep with a partner who has a host of other bed mates without protection?
Not only will one get sexually transmitted infections and HIV, but is exposing oneself to the human pappiloma virus which causes cervical cancer in women.
Feedback:[email protected]
Online Reporter