03 Apr 2022

 Employing a multi-sectoral approach will help in winning the fight against HIV/AIDS.  

Speaking during commemoration of the month of youth against HIV/AIDS, themed: End inequality, End AIDS, End pandemics, in Kanye on Thursday, District AIDS Coordinator, Mr Kebonyemodisa Marumo said a number of factors had to be taken into consideration in fighting the scourge hence the need for collective efforts.

“You cannot win the fight alone, we have to pull together,” he said. The youth, he noted who had high population, were the most affected by different social ills such as HIV infections, hence the need to regularly have these kind of events.

He explained that in order to win the fight against HIV/AIDS, a number of factors had to be taken into consideration such as gender based violence (GBV), inequalities as well as economic situation.
Mr Marumo said inequalities affected societies’ lives and lead to increased numbers of HIV infections.

 “When there are inequalities a lot of things do not go well, hence some will be left behind in the fight against AIDS,” he said.
Pertaining to economic situations, he said poverty played a role in increased number of new HIV infections, noting that relying on someone who was better resourced could defeat the aim of fighting the virus. “Some bread winners could refuse to use a condom and the partner agrees to engage in sexual intercourse without protection, looking at the fact that if she/he refused that particular person will stop supporting them,” he said.

He said GBV also affected the efforts to fight HIV, noting that some got infected by being raped, others stopped from accessing medical help as well as those who did not test but relied on their partners’ status. Mr Marumo said ARVs were available but some failed to access them due to discrimination, adding that some learners had highlighted that it was very difficult to take medication or adhere when living in hostels as others ridiculed them.

He urged parents to openly discuss HIV/AIDS issues with their children and stop relying on health authorities and schools to inform the children.
He noted that few men visited health facilities and advised them to take their health seriously, adding that numbers of those who showed up for safe male circumcision were not satisfactory.

 “I urge all women to encourage men to visit medical facilities for assistance such as HIV testing, safe male circumcision and many other services,” he said.
Kanye Adventist Hospital’s (KAH) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Brendon Tombs emphasised the need to encourage and support youth in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Having these kind of events, he said gave him hope since it showed that the youth were future leaders. “Let us all support them,” he said.

Dr Tombs said the youth were faced with a lot of different challenges, noting that they needed guidance and prayer. A HOPE World representative, Mr Kelebile Mangadi shared other speakers’ sentiments that GBV contributed to increased new HIV infections, adding that it was important for all partners to test and avoid assuming that their status were the same.

He said turning a blind eye on GBV was the same as encouraging it, urging all to report cases. “Like it was stated earlier no one can win this fight alone, lets us all work together to defeat this monster,” he said. ENDS