SOUTHERN PROVINCE

RUHANGO — In order to know their health status, hundreds of youth in Mwendo sector last week turned up for voluntary HIV testing.

The two-day exercise organized by the National Aids Control Commission [CNLS] was conducted at Gishweru health centre. It attracted anxious youth who included students and residents below 18 years.

Apparently Mwendo sector is one of the sectors in Ruhango district that lack HIV/Aids testing and counselling facilities. Residents normally travel long distance for the service.

Commenting on the exercise, the CNLS area-coordinator, Marcel Kambanda said, "the exercise is a way of addressing the problem and this will be continued until resources are solicited to have their own centre."

He revealed that ten out of the 605 tested youth were found to be HIV positive. Kambanda however added that the victims would be helped to access antiretroviral therapy ARVs, and join associations of persons living with the virus so as to encourage them to live positively.

One of the youth who talked to The New Times after testing said, "Living without knowledge of your health status can be scaring. I find it important to advice fellow youths to seek free and quick voluntary counselling and testing in order to make future decisions."

According to recent statistics from health centers and counselling sites in the district, the HIV prevalence rate in Ruhango currently lies at 6.8%

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