Minister: 3,500 T&T young people living with HIV/Aids
Published:
Friday, May 3, 2013
Some 3,500 youths in T&T are living with HIV/Aids and global statistics show young women between 15 and 24 have an HIV infection twice that of young men. So said Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Rodger Samuel, who spoke at the national youth symposium at Capital Plaza, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. It focused on the theme “Youth as agents of change” in the national response to HIV and Aids in T&T.
“There are statistics that all of you should be aware of and globally in 2010 young people between 15 and 24 account for 42 per cent of new HIV infections and young women are particularily at risk and have infection rates which are twice as high as those found in young men. “Those are the things which we must keep before our eyes,” Samuel added. He said in rural areas of the country there was a need to educate the youth as they were still not totally aware of the danger of the disease.
He said, “In the country approximately 1.3 per cent of youths 15 to 21 (years) are living with HIV and this is about $3,500 young people.” “I often have to go into the discourse with the young people to let them know how serious the situation is. “I know the situation in those rural areas where sexual promiscuity is high and irresponsibility and recklessness is very high and every young person has a baby or two,” Samuel added.
Saying the Government had not given up the fight to ensure there were no new infections with the disease, Samuel said that was also critical in raising awareness. More, however, was needed to ensure there were greater ties between the Government and various stakeholders, he said. “We need to strengthen the ties with our stakeholders and young people to ensure the capacity of our young people is augmented to take the approach that is youth-led, friendly and ensuring we promote healthy sexual attitudes and practices,” Samuel said.
He said that could only be achieved by creating an enabling environment where youths could have access to resources, including comprehensive and affordable health services and treatment and care which were free from stigma and discrimination. It was also important, Samuel added, for young people to become empowered so they could lead meaningful lives and contribute to society.
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