Aids Day to focus on youth

The 2011 World AIDS Day, to be marked, tomorrow will focus on the youth. The day will coincide with the commencement of a three-month campaign under the theme ‘Youth, let’s join efforts in protecting ourselves and others against HIV for a brighter future.’ This was disclosed during a Press Conference that aimed at highlighting the series of activities that Rwanda will hold during this campaign. The Deputy Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Dr. Anita Asiimwe, called upon the youth to get involved in the activities that will help raise awareness on the HIV and AIDS scourge. “We want to know what the youth think…we need to know the issues that affect them in regard to HIV/AIDS. We also want to teach life skills to our youth during this campaign as a way of fighting AIDS,”Asiimwe said. She said that they also plan to include sexual reproductive health education in the secondary school curriculum so the youth can be well equipped with this vital knowledge and information. Asiimwe, however, emphasized that sex is just a small component of the entire sexual reproductive health education so people shouldn’t think that it only involves information on sex but rather much wider. Other activities planned include AIDS awareness drives in secondary schools, media campaigns, debates with the youth at village level and at public universities all in a bid to raise awareness on AIDS. According to a statement from RBC, different districts and partners will choose activities that will help to achieve the World AIDS Day goal. HIV prevalence among youth aged 15-24 years is estimated at 1.0 percent. maria.kaitesi@newtimes.co.rw

National

Aids Day to focus on youth