Young people are especially vulnerable to HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). They are also vulnerable as regards drug use (and not just injected drugs). Even if they are not engaging in risk behaviours today, they may soon be exposed to situations that put them at risk.
In many countries 60% of all new HIV infections are among 15-24 year-olds. Also the highest rates of STDs are usually found in the age range 20-24 years, followed by 15-19 years.
Africa continues to dwarf the rest of the world in how the region has been affected by AIDS. Africa is home to 70% of the adults and 80% of the children living with HIV in the world. The estimated number of newly infected adults and children in Africa reached 3.5 million at the end of 2001. It has also been estimated that 28.5 million adults and children were living with HIV/AIDS in Africa by the end of the year. AIDS deaths totalled 3 million globally in 2001, and of the global total 2.2 million AIDS deaths occurred in Africa.
In sub-Saharan Africa HIV is now deadlier than war itself.
In 1998, 200,000 Africans died in war, but more than 2 million died of AIDS. AIDS has become a full-blown development crisis. Its social and economic consequences are felt widely not only in health but in education, industry, agriculture, transport, human resources and the economy in general.
The overall incidence of HIV infection in Africa does however now appear to be stabilising. Because the long-standing African epidemics have already reached large numbers of people whose behaviour exposes them to HIV, and because effective prevention measures in some countries have enabled people to reduce their risk of exposure, the annual number of new infections has stabilised or even fallen in many countries. These decreases have now begun to balance out the still-rising infection rates in other parts of Africa, particularly the southern part of the continent. Overall, the total of 3.5 million infected people in 2001 was slightly less than the regional total of 3.8 million in 2000. But this trend will not continue if countries such as Nigeria begin experiencing a rapid increase.
Being affected with HIV in Cameroon is like having a cold in the North pole. HIV has become very commen for reasons one can't really explain. Looking at the global HIV statistics, we'll realise that Cameroon is amongst the countries with the highest HIV infected population.
One should also wonder why the rate of virginity in Cameroon has also drastically decrease.At first, most girls lost their virginity from 18yrs and above, but now, it has droped. Girls of 13, can now boast amongst themselves of haven had sex with their boy friends.For them it's a pride. But the question now remains unaswered:"WHO SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DECREASE IN VIRGINITY RATE WHICH RESULTS AUTHOMATICALLY TO AN INCREASE IN UNPROTECTED SEX,THUS INCREASE IN HIV PERCENTAGE?" The boys who push these young girls in the act,the teachers who do not offer sextual education in school,the parents who do not give a closer look to their children back at home and never talk to them the dangers of unsafe sex, or the government who takes delight in receiving international funds, but do carry out little or no activities to fight against this killer disease?"
The above listed groups of people needs to be blame for the wild spread of HIV. The boys who force these young girls in to such malpratices,normally never have the time to protect them selves, and the end result may be very disastrous.Even the elderly girls,do involve themselves into unprotected sex.Parents,teachers and the government should have a partial blame for negletting the young own.
Below is a report from Paul Forka Lukong from
The University of Adelaide, Australia on The Benefits of a geospatial Approach in the Surveillance of HIV/AIDS in Cameroon:
In Sub Saharan Africa 28.1 million people are infected with the HIV/AIDS virus. In Cameroon more then 937 000 people are infected. HIV/AIDS is the single most important health and development problem in Africa and Cameroon. Research in this field necessitates the accurate and timely use of HIV/AIDS and health service information. In Africa national spatial data have enabled the mapping of location incidence and trends of HIV/AIDS. However, HIV/AIDS cannot be managed at this macro level. A micro level geospatial approach within Cameroon will identify villages and towns with population at high-risk of infection. A geospatial approach also facilitates the allocation and targeting of resources, policy and decision making to combat the disease. Cameroon like most of Sub Saharan Africa does not yet have location capabilities including skilled personnel, computer hardware and software. These capabilities facilitate research, analysis and the ability to combat HIV/AIDS. Geospatial data link to epidemiological and demographic data identifies precise locations and characteristics of seropositives in respect to testing, counselling and treatment centers. It makes it possible to identify and notify partners of seropositives of the risk of infection, and patients can be traced easily and treated. Terraseer software offer the opportunity to describe and visualise spatio-temporal patterns, and to perform a cluster analysis of HIV/AIDS cases. Terraseer will identify clusters of cases and determine their epidemiological significance. A Cluster analysis will demonstrate the correlation between nearest to health facility and cases. Terraseer software (SpaceStat and ClusterSeer) will be central in the analysis of the research data.
Countries where the spread of HIV/AIDS is subsiding or declining, such as Thailand and Uganda, it is primarily because young men and women are being given the knowledge, tools and services to adopt safe behaviours.
"Young people have unquestionably demonstrated that they are capable of making responsible choices to protect themselves when provided support, and they can educate and motivate others to make safe choices," said Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of WHO.
The report outlines 10 steps that countries should take as part of their prevention efforts:
1-End the silence, stigma and shame.
2-Provide young people with knowledge and information
3-Equip young people with life skills to turn knowledge into practice
4-Provide youth-friendly services
5-Promote voluntary and confidential HIV testing and 6-counselling
6-Work with young people, promote their participation
7-Engage young people who are living with HIV/AIDS
6-Create safe and supportive environments
7-Reach out to the young most at risk
8-Strengthen partnerships, monitor progress.
TO BE CONTINUED............
