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Azlan Othman & James Kon
The AIDS pandemic continues to be a problem 4 many years after its detection. Because the Sultanate marked World AIDS Day on December 1, the Brunei Darussalam AIDS Council (BDAIDS Council) calls on all events to take care of inequalities in eradicating AIDS.
This 12 months, in supporting the theme from Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), ‘Equalize’ is the slogan for us to take sensible motion in eradicating AIDS.
BDAIDS Council President Iswandy bin Ahmad highlighted this in World AIDS Day message, including that the sensible motion embody bettering readiness, high quality and appropriateness of providers for HIV therapy, testing and prevention so that everybody is handled effectively; updating the legal guidelines, insurance policies and practises to handle the stigma and exclusion confronted by folks dwelling with HIV and people at high-risk of HIV an infection in order that they aren’t marginalised.
He mentioned in a bid to encourage early HIV detection, BDAIDS Council volunteers carried out a confidential HIV outreach testing programme from 2020 to 2022. 9 periods have been carried out with 180 exams carried out, ensuing within the detection of 5 new circumstances.
The programme goals to detect new infections at an early stage so early therapy might be began successfully.
Iswandy added, “It’s hoped this effort has satisfied the general public that HIV testing is simple and essential to make sure entry to early therapy for any HIV contaminated particular person. The BDAIDS Council additionally praises the efforts of personal clinics, which additional assist the efforts of the federal government in facilitating public entry to HIV testing,” he mentioned.
With the sale of self-test HIV kits now accessible in the marketplace by way of the BDAIDS Council’s accomplice, Panaga Well being, the council hopes that the general public will take accountability to find out their HIV standing.
This self-test HIV package is as simple to make use of because the ART, used for the detection of COVID-19.
Iswandy added, “HIV intervention programmes to extend HIV testing should be coupled with training about HIV and AIDS. That is the place reproductive well being training can present some consciousness about it, together with data about sexually transmitted an infection (STI), gender primarily based violence, wholesome relationships, violence and staying protected, in addition to different values in taking good care of one’s well being.”
This World AIDS Day underscores the necessity for us to work collectively to finish the inequalities that make AIDS and different epidemics so difficult to deal with.
Financial, social, cultural, and authorized inequalities should be addressed if we’re to finish AIDS.
Points equivalent to poverty, job alternatives, acceptance of individuals contaminated with HIV, sexual well being training for youth, in addition to legal guidelines that limit HIV and AIDS providers or work should be reviewed for his or her wants and significance.
In the meantime, 30 college students from Years 8-10 of Awang Semaun Secondary College lately participated within the BDAIDS Council HIV Consciousness Programme for Friends and Youths (HAPPY) as a part of the college’s consciousness programme.
HAPPY is a youth-led mission that features disseminating data and points on teenage being pregnant and STIs.
It’s an interactive programme that mixes audio and visuals in addition to an a energetic exercise to go on the message to younger folks, with messages tailored to the native setting.
Representing the BDAIDS Council in delivering the programme was HAPPY Undertaking Coordinator Siti Kailene binti Mohd Jazlan Kashfi. HAPPY staff volunteers facilitated the programme.
Siti Kailene shared the native statistics on STIs and teenage being pregnant, highlighting the age and gender dominating the figures. She mentioned these figures might be curbed by making use of abstinence as a part of stopping youth from getting concerned in dangerous behaviours.
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