More than two thousand students have been mobilized to stop AIDS – RNA NEWS

group of students ready to stop AIDS

Nyamata (Bugesera): The district of Bugesera has 6,836 people on ARVs and women remain the most infected, according to the Director of Health at the level of the District of Bugesera, Mrs. Russi Kemirembe.

“Among young people aged 15 to 19, there are more infected women, who are 13 against 2 men. In the group of 20 to 24 years, there are 36 infected women against 7 men. The 25 to 49 age group has 89 women and 74 men. The public, especially young people, submits to circumcision, which reduces the risk of infection to 60%. Our partners support us in these efforts to fight AIDS,” she said.

She made these remarks during RBC’s visit to Nyamata Catholic High School where more than two thousand (2000) students from this school and neighboring establishment followed a show and a theater, as well as messages against AIDS.

“Awareness programs to avoid AIDS are in place. They support the Health Center and the hospital to provide information on the fight against the pandemic. Corners for young people or rooms for young people or girls have been set up to provide awareness-raising reserved for young people in the fight against AIDS, and for family planning (FP) and sexual and reproductive health.

There are points at high risk of infection which have been identified and which benefit from a free distribution of condoms. Likewise, the Health Center follows up on people who have had sex with someone who tested positive for the purpose of knowing if they are not also infected. These efforts aim to identify the circle of infected groups in order to subject them to ARV treatment and provide them with information that helps to limit the spread of AIDS.

Ernest Kalisa, 6th grade student

During public meetings in the sectors of the district or meetings with pupils in schools, care is taken to sensitize young people to avoid AIDS. Youth centers in place in the district encourage young people to get circumcised and tested for the virus.

As soon as a student tests positive for AIDS, parents are informed and continue to give him a consistent diet so that he resists the effect of ARVs taken daily, according to the health officer in Bugesera district. .

Kemirembe recalled that anti-AIDS clubs in schools and against drugs train people to avoid this virus and early pregnancies. Now, as of July 2022, the district has had 200 underage girl pregnancies. Bugesera ranks among the leading districts in teenage pregnancies in Eastern Province after Nyagatare and Gatsibo.

Bugesera district also has more than 50 prostitutes in all its sectors.

“We are grouping them into cooperative associations with the support of our partner HDI. We recommend that they practice safer sex,” Kemirembe points out.

Ultimately, RBC’s tour in Nyamata was very useful in the opinion of the pupils themselves and the teachers, especially since the sensitization was done by an artist well known to young people, in the person of Platini.

“In the crosscutting classes, we will come back to the messages launched by Platini and RBC and the impact left on our children”, remarked Jean-Népo Ngarukiyintwari, teacher in 6th grade primary.

For Ernest Kalisa, 21, a 6th grade student at Nyamata High School, RBC remains useful in protecting young people against the virus.

“I tested negative for the virus. I made the decision to remain without sexual intercourse until my marriage. I have knowledge in the fight against AIDS, but that RBC has updated. It is very useful. In case of rape or unprotected sex, I didn’t know that you have to go to the Health Center within 72 hours. I will disseminate this information to other young people who did not know it. And there are many of them,” says Kalisa.

His opinion is that of his colleague Shayida, 19, also in 6th grade. She didn’t know exactly what to do when you were raped or had unprotected sex. RBC has kept her and her classmates up to date. (END)

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