The
Kabarole district secretary for health and education Joshua Kagaba has said
that the HIV prevalence among secondary schools in Kabarole district currently
stands at 30%.
Kagaba told the New Vision on Thursday
morning that a study by the district with the help of other Non-Governmental
Organization shows that of every 1000 students at least over 250 are HIV
positive.
He however blames the increase to the
parent's negligence of their duties in the upbringing of an African child.
"Parents no longer perform their
duties as heads of families where these children stay" said Kagaba.
"They spend less time with them and have not bothered to advice or monitor
the dressing code and movements of their children outside home" he added.
Kagaba stated that the prevalence is much
higher among the female students a move he attributed to cross generational
sex.
"The graph shows that the HIV is
acquired from adult men that are above 40 years of age whereas most of the male
students were born with it" Kagaba stated.
The district is now encouraging school
heads to lobby for free HIV/AIDS testing and counseling in their schools to
identify the affected students.
"We are encouraging formation of HIV
clubs in all schools to identify, counsel and guild the students but let it
(club) be given a selling name e.g. SAVING LIVES so that it can attract many
students and to avoid stigma" Kagaba explained.
Speaking to the New Vision on phone Dr
Hauser Mpugga the Kabarole district AIDs focal person said that his office has
now embarked on a sensitization exercise that is to roll down to all schools in
the district. "We want to avoid new infections by using the ABC control
strategy" said Dr Mpugga.
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