South Africa: Three-fourths of HIV-positive youth are women

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JOHANNESBURG, Jul 13, 2006, 2006 (IPS/GIN via COMTEX) -- When it comes to fighting the spread of HIV among South Africa's young people, one of the best weapons appears to be the youth itself. Just ask Zamani Cele, one of 348 students who have been trained by the University of KwaZulu-Natal's AIDS program during the past two years.

"I want to make a difference in the lives of young people," she told IPS from the coastal city of Durban.

"We urge them to get tested and seek treatment. The more people get tested and seek treatment, the more people will come out to disclose their status. This will be good for the society."

The peer educators, as these young campaigners are called, distribute leaflets written in English and Zulu, the languages commonly spoken in the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal. They also give out condoms, and hold meetings to inform students how to protect themselves against the HI-virus -- and to persuade them to get tested and seek treatment if necessary.

Such initiatives are essential at a time when about 10 percent of young people in South Africa are HIV-positive, according to a 2004 report by the Reproductive Health Research Unit of the University of the Witwatersrand and loveLife -- both based in the commercial hub of Johannesburg. loveLife is a non-governmental organization, and the largest HIV prevention initiative targeted at youth in South Africa.

Titled "HIV and Sexual Behavior Among Young South Africans: A National Survey of 15-24 Year Olds," the report found that a disproportionately large number of young persons with the AIDS virus are female: 77 percent.

In addition, about two-thirds of 15- to 24-year-olds interviewed for the study said they had had sexual intercourse. "Among sexually experienced youth, 52% reported using a condom at last sex," the report states.

Some 5 million South Africans have contracted the AIDS virus, according to the Department of Health.

However, it's not all smooth sailing for the peer educators at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, which also offers free treatment for students living with HIV/AIDS.

"We hand out female condoms (but) nobody wants to be seen collecting them," Mpho Bikitsha, a medical student, told IPS from Durban. "People associate AIDS with promiscuity."

Ntate Chris, who is in charge of the AIDS program, said a lack of resources also hampered efforts to increase the number of campaigners on campus.

"We don't have the capacity to monitor and supervise the program," he told IPS.

The program receives almost $275,000 from the university annually. "If we can get double the amount we get now, we can expand the program to 500 peer educators a year," Chris added. "We hope to get some external donor support."

Some 42,000 students attend the university.

But even in the face of difficulties, Bakitsha is determined to soldier on.

"I don't think anybody should give up unless AIDS becomes a non-issue. It's going to take time because we still have people in denial," she said.

"If we don't get involved in the campaign, it will be a catastrophe. The virus is already infecting and affecting so many people," added Bakitsha, noting that she had lost three relatives to AIDS.

A similar program is being run at the University of Pretoria, in the South African capital.

loveLife has also seen the potential of young people to turn the tide of HIV among their peers.

"Peer support and training is an invaluable intervention, with young people having a much stronger likelihood to respond to role modeling and interaction from peers," notes the organization on its Web site.

The group has put a national volunteer initiative called the groundBREAKER Program in place to provide a year-long leadership course for unemployed people aged 18 to 25, who help fight HIV infections among teenagers. The volunteers also work to reduce other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and early pregnancy.

"Out of school, unemployed young people are extremely vulnerable to the transmission of STIs and HIV/AIDS, so the gB (groundBREAKER) Program provides a positive channel for young people to develop confidence, (a) healthy attitude and equip them with skills to sustain themselves in a brighter future," notes loveLife.