Africa Review
By RIVONALA RAZAFISON in Antananarivo
Testing for HIV/Aids. |
Globalisation, minimal preventive measures and mining projects are putting young people in Madagascar at a higher risk of contracting HIV/Aids, the National committee to fight the scourge (CNLS) says.
Mr Christian Randrianarisoa, who is in charge of CNLS, said most Malagasy youth were ill informed about how to protect themselves against the HIV/Aids epidemic.
Globally, people aged between 15-24 years constitute half of the 60 million HIV patients.
Studies in Madagascar show more vulnerability among the rural young compared to their counterparts living in urban areas. Equally, less educated females stood a higher risk than their counterparts with better education.
Activities financed by the Round 8 of the Global Fund, involving multilateral donors, are currently the only anti-Aids projects being implemented in the impoverished and politically unstable African island country.
Prevalence rate
The World Bank directly has, with effect from September 17, taken over the care of the HIV patients (520 people), who need anti-retroviral treatment.
Awareness campaigns, communication, monitoring and assessment and improvement of the socio-economic environment, observed Mr Randrianarisoa, have been pushed to the back burner due to lack of funds.
Madagascar, though deemed as a low HIV prevalence country, is no longer safe. It has an estimated 0.95 per cent HIV/Aids prevalence rate.