We have seen in many reports and publications from WHO and UNICEF and national documents of HIV/AIDS among adolescents increasing five more compared to general population .
HIV/AIDS campaigns, counselling and testing in health settings are most likely to target general populations and specific groups of key populations, adolescents and young people were most likely to be excluded from the campaign because they happen to be in schools and under parent and guardian.
If adolescents is to go for HIV/AIDS test he/she should be accompanied by the parent or a guardian.
It's likely to see HIV/AIDS awareness creation among key populations and general population but never to adolescents and young people. They know adolescents girls and young people don't have partners for sexual intercourse.
To make sure we end HIV/AIDS among adolescents and young people we have to have a health settings with friendly health services to accommodate them as well as initiate groups and HIV/AIDS clubs among adolescents and young people to increase awareness and empowering them with HIV/AIDS information and education and for those living with HIV/AIDS to be able to track lost on follow up on ART adherence and HIV counselling and testing as well as treatment.
Empowering on HIV/AIDS protective gears like proper use of condoms to their partners and and abstain from sex at early age for those who don't have sex partners.
For out of school adolescents and young people to empower them with life skills and economic skills to make them involve themself on economic activities to avoid them from wanting to earn money by involving themselves in unsafe sexual practices for money.
Empowering adolescents and young people sex partners with HIV/AIDS education and effects that are likely to happen when they engage themselves in sex practices with adolescent and young people what is likely to happen.
Empowering parents and guardian on adolescents and young people inclusion in HIV/AIDS discussion and creating a freedom of expression this will increase the will of adolescents to participate in HIV/AIDS campaigns and they can be able to empower their peer in their discussion.
Advocate for friendly health services in the health settings within the government or private health facilities to be able to accommodate the needs of adolescents and young people in HIV/AIDS health services.
Increase participation of adolescents and young people in HIV/AIDS interventions that are particularly intended for them and make them participate in everything because if you are to reach out to many key populations involve them if women involve them but if you want to reach out to women and involve men you will never succeed, because men are not friends with Women but their fellow men. Having adolescents and young people included in their intervention and let them take control we will reduce HIV/AIDS among themselves. We have a READY intervention for youth in Tanzania under International HIV/AIDS Alliance but youth are likely to be involved in training but on making decisions on how to reach out to other youth we can see a round table to consultants and doctors and health services providers without youth participants. That will only be a technical discussion but practically we need to have beneficiaries in the decision making to be able to hear their ideas and views on each step of the implementation.
Let involve them and make them participate in everything is when we can see HIV/AIDS among adolescents and young people is reduced.
Sia Edward Ngowo
Connect Community with Advocacy and Empowerment Tanzania
+255713177744
Email: cocowaeta08@gmail.com
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