On World AIDS Day, I received the following message from the International Aids Alliance (IAA): This World AIDS Day (December 1, 2014) we are warning of the urgent need to prioritise HIV and sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents, particularly in the global south where they are slipping through the cracks when it comes to healthcare.
Pacifique, 20,  was born with HIV but didn’t find out his status until he was 10 years old.
“My mum refused to disclose my status to me. She told me I had a heart problem but that I would get better. When I first found out, I thought I was someone who won’t live for very long. I thought I couldn’t even get married, I was just here waiting for my death,” he said.
There are an estimated 2.1 million adolescents living with HIV, with more than 80 per cent of them living in sub-Saharan Africa. Many don’t know their HIV status.
The Alliance, together with a consortium of international and national non-governmental organisations, is currently spearheading an ambitious three year country programme – Link Up – which aims to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights of more than a million young people aged 24 and under who are living with and affected by HIV in Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Burundi, Myanmar and Uganda.
In Burundi, where Pacifique is from, more than half of the population is under 17. Link Up is focusing on young people living with HIV, young men who have sex with men and young women who sell sex and aims to reach 175,000 young people and adolescents with tailored HIV and sexual and reproductive health services that reflect their specific circumstances.
A safe space
Earlier this year, with support from Link Up, community organisation RNJ+ launched a new youth centre in Bujumbura offering services including counselling and testing to support these vulnerable groups to get better education on HIV, sexual health and contraception.
It is the first youth-led centre of its kind in Burundi, providing a safe space in a conservative and religious society.
Initially bullied at school for his HIV status, Pacifique can be himself at the youth centre.
“RNJ+ is my second family.  It’s where I can meet young people who share the same views, who have the same way of seeing the world, and they’re the ones who support me.”
Executive Director, Cedric Nininahazwe, 27, has known Pacifique and many of its other 400+ members for years. He too recalls how “I felt safe when I joined RNJ+”.
Cedric and his sister Nadia were orphaned when Cedric was 11. Both parents died from HIV-related illnesses, and Cedric would later find out that he was born with HIV at age 15, and his sister would test positive at age 25.
All three are contributing to a HIV free future, and in doing so showing what’s possible when you engage people who are most affected by HIV. Pacifique is the director of a theatre group which raises awareness of HIV and related issues within the community, and Nadia, supported by Link Up, has initiated a female condom project which will initially benefit young women living with HIV and sex workers.
Locally here in Zambia, the World AIDS Day commemoration was observed at Nkoloma stadium where various speakers looked at the global situation of the pandemic and particularly on Zambia under the theme: ‘Zambia @ 50 Towards Zero Stigma.’
Hamid Elbashir, United Nations Resident Coordinator a.i, told the gathering in his speech that, on this world AIDS Day we can be proud! With commitment and solidarity, the AIDS movement is helping the world turn the corner on the epidemic.
We have made tremendous progress worldwide in responding to the AIDS epidemic. We have reduced new HIV infections by 38 per cent since 2001.
Almost 14 million people are now accessing HIV treatment and we are on track to provide antiretroviral therapy to 15 million people by 2015.
We are encouraged that our collective efforts are producing results in Zambia too. Here we have stabilised the HIV incidence. The rate of new infections among adult population has more than halved since 1990; and the treatment coverage increased from 23 per cent in 2005 to 77.6 per cent in 2011.
The UN System in Zambia is pleased to note that the Revised-National AIDS Strategic Framework (NASF) has prioritised and targeted these populations with higher impact interventions in the next three years.
Concerted efforts are now required to ensure the targeted programme support is reaching to such populations.
Voluntary HIV Testing and Counselling (HTC) campaign is targeting 2 million people in 12 cities in Zambia. We must work together to ensure every person at high risk has access to Voluntary Testing and Counseling by creating an environment free of stigma and discrimination.
Only then, the target to achieve ‘Zero’ discrimination by 2020 – as is the theme for this year’s World AIDS Day celebration – can be achieved.
As we scale-up HIV treatment, important is to avert new HIV infections. AIDS epidemic will continue to outrun the response if we fail to take fast track approach. It is encouraging that the Government is committed to increase its domestic resources while the donors are requested to support the critical services.
The renewed focus should be on ensuring decentralised service delivery system is fully prepared for delivering HIV services through its health system on preventing new infection, scaling up treatment and availing social protection support to people living with HIV.
Critical will be to continue educating the young Zambians and ensure that they are responsible and take actions in preventing a new infection. We care create supportive environment to them: a) by recognising their voice and b) by providing them with correct information, which addresses the young people’s issues of concern.
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