NORTHERN PROVINCE

MUSANZE — Cases of HIV infection have gone down compared to previous years in the Musanze district, a health official said.

Justin Mutuyimana, the coordinator of the District Aids control Commission (CDLS) said out of 7572 people who had voluntary HIV testing in the last three months, only 162 were found positive.

Talking to The New Times recently, Mutuyimana attributed the downward trend to sensitisation campaigns by community health advisors whom he said have been instrumental in fighting the spread of HIV.

An assessment carried out by the anti Aids activists has shown that the promotion of HIV voluntary counselling and testing, open discussions about the Aids pandemic and testimonies from those infected, also accounts for the reduced rates of new infections among the youth and couples.

Other mechanisms being emphasised include change of sexual behaviour –including faithfulness among the married couples, avoiding sex with multiple partners, and abstinence.

According to a  Demographic and Health survey carried out in Rwanda in 2005, the HIV prevalence increases proportionately with the number of sexual partners one has.

The rate of infection ranges between 1.2% for men who have had one partner through their lives, to 4.2% for those who have had three to four sexual partners and a maximum of 11.7% for those who have had 10 sexual partners.

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