PREVENTION OF HIV AND AIDS SECTION IV PREVENTION OF HIV AND AIDS

Module 13: VULNERABILITY TO HIV

Activity 1: Vulnerability of adolescents to HIV   Summing Up: Adolescents are at an age where they are vulnerable to experimenting and are curious about finding out new things. Hence, it is important to give them correct information about the ways in which HIV can be transmitted Adolescents need the support of their family to enable them to adopt sage and responsible behaviours to prevent HIV infection As peers have an important influence on the behaviour of adolescents; parents and teachers should be aware of the friends that adolescents interact with Everyone, especially young people have the right to information and education on HIV 

Activity 1: Vulnerability of adolescents to HIV   Summing Up: Empowered with accurate and age appropriate information and skills, adolescents can adopt sage and responsible behaviours Parents are the most important individuals whom adolescents look up to for support Schools can play an important role in HIV prevention. The adolescents look up to their teachers for guidance. The teachers therefore, have an added responsibility to be mentors to the young adolescents seeking advice or counsel them when needed 

Activity 2: Vulnerability of Women to HIV   Summing Up: Women from all strata of life are at higher risk of HIV infection, although current statistics may not indicate the same Women have limited access to health services as well as to HIV testing facilities Knowledge of HIV transmission, prevention, treatment and care is important to reduce risk of transmission and spread of the infection Awareness and correct information is needed to decrease the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS Contd….

Activity 2: Vulnerability of Women to HIV   Women in our country and reportedly worldwide, are known not to actively seek health services for themselves. This is due to a variety of reasons, such as low priority to one’s own health, being too busy with household chores with little time for health needs Furthermore, the society does not place a high value on women’s health and well-being. As a result, family resources are not distributed in their favor This leads to further neglect of women’s health that put them at a higher risk of several diseases and infections, including HIV Contd….

Activity 2: Vulnerability of Women to HIV   Biologically also, women are more vulnerable to acquire HIV infection It is important to empower women to negotiate safe relationships with their partner