HIV/AIDS awareness among adolescents stressed
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 21 2017: Dr Lucy Dui-dang, Deputy Director, Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS) today called upon educators and parents to impart knowledge on HIV/AIDS to adolescents as these group has become the most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infection and transmission in the State .

She was speaking as a presidium member in the "Three days training on adolescent education for school teachers", organised by the State Council of Educational Research & Training (SCERT), Manipur at its Multipurpose Hall in collaboration with MACS .

The Deputy Director elaborated that the route of HIV/AIDS transmission through casual sex has become the latest trend among the population in the State according to studies and analyses .

She said the incidence or risk factors of female sex workers (FSWs) and injecting drug users (IDUs) have declined in the State however the incidence among adolescents has been rising at an alarming rate .

In HIV infection, incidence is often used to estimate whether the HIV risk (or an HIV-related illness) is increasing or decreasing within a certain group, usually on a year-on-year basis .

Incidence is also used by researchers to determine if a change in a certain factor, for instance, the access to treatment, public policy may alter the risk factor within population groups.

In addition, predicting risk through incidence analyses allow for optimal resource allocation .

Pointing out that FSWs and IDUs participate in targeted intervention programmes, Dr Lucy said these communities are educated resulting to reduction in their incidence of HIV/AIDS .

However, the incidence among the adolescent groups is hardly declining apart from many unmarried persons in the State being found infected with HIV/AIDS according to data collected from various districts .

Hence, it is high time to consider the issue as a serious concern by all and impart knowledge of HIV/AIDs to adolescents by educators and parents, Lucy opined .

She also underscored the need of guiding youngsters in the right path during their adolescence telling this group is the most vulnerable as they want to try out new things, including sexual activities, due to hormonal change at this period and peer pressure .

The Deputy Director also highlighted that Manipur comprises almost 1/3rd of the total HIV infected population in the North East region with around 13,000 people being infected with HIV out of the estimated total infected population of 32,000 in the region .

SCERT, Manipur's Director M Minakumari emphasized on the need of dealing children as friends by teachers and parents during their adolescence period and identifying their inner feelings and desires to gradually guide them in the right direction .

Hence, educators should keep in their view the physical and psychological changes the youngsters go through during adolescence stage and the teachers should discussed thoroughly about the changes taking place, she observed .

Joint Director of SCERT, Manipur, Jim G Thingujam laid down the need for incorporating the issues faced by youngsters during their adolescence period and including adequate information on HIV/AIDS in the syllabus of school education in the State .

S Anandi, Joint Director, SCERT and Dr M Nalini, Textbook Officer and Program Coordinator also attended the function as presidium members.

Comment