GebreTHE NUMBER of out-of-school young people and the lack of specific data on inner-city communities are hampering efforts to reduce the spread of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which leads to the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
A document containing the Jamaica National HIV/AIDS/STI Strategic Plan for 2002 to 2006 listed these among several factors identified as serious elements predisposing to HIV transmission. This is so as information on HIV prevention is not reaching many out-of-school youngsters and inner-city residents.
The document cited that there is a lack of clear information with regard to the incidence and prevalence of HIV/AIDS and STI as data is often grouped instead of being broken down on a community-by-community basis.
This meant, for example, that there was little data on many squatter and inner-city communities and no clear cut data on the Corporate Area as statistics are grouped under Kingston and St. Andrew instead of by the individual parishes.
"Many members of society who are at higher risk of HIV/AIDS/STIs (sexually transmitted illnesses like syphilis) are not easily reached. These include children and young people who do not attend school, CSWs (commercial sex workers), substance abusers and many poorer communities and unemployed families in the informal/ inner-city settlements," the document outlined.
The strategic plan, a follow-up to the 1997-2001 plan, is a national framework within which the work and actions of multi-sectoral developmental partners in Jamaica will function. It looks at programming priorities and areas in which to focus future actions.
Among the priorities are ensuring policy, advocacy, legal and human rights of HIV positive persons. There will also be HIV prevention primarily through education and behavioural change, care, treatment and support including work place counselling for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and continue surveillance, monitoring and evaluation.
A 1999 Ministry of Health survey among 2,000 out-of-school young people showed that 43 per cent of males and 57 per cent of the females who participated had exchanged sex for financial gain on some occasions.
Dr. Yitades Gebre, director of the Ministry's HIV/AIDS Control Pro-gramme, said at a symposium in 2000 that preliminary results from data collected showed that some sexual partners paid utility and cable bills as well as rent, among other gifts, for sexual favours.
The Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions 2000, conducted by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), revealed that the percentage of the population below the poverty line has increased from 16.9 per cent to 18.7 per cent.
Dr. Gebre said last year that fewer resources also reduce partners' ability to buy condoms or insist on their usage, which could leave poorer groups, some of whom live in Jamaica's depressed communities, at high risk.
"There is a vicious cycle of poverty, exacerbated by HIV infection which deepens poverty. When people go deep into poverty, the chances increase of not using condoms because they can't buy them or they will not go for treatment of STIs," he explained last year. "Because of a lack of resources at the individual and household level people will tend not to take the necessary precautions and as a person becomes affected, they can't work and have to use more resources for treatment and care so the household suffers."
Between 1982 and December last year, 6038 persons were reported as having AIDS. About 3720 have died.
Other handicaps to reducing the illness, the document outlined, include a growing number of persons who are underemployed, the lack of contact between many communities and persons who have HIV prevention information and a "lack of clarity in the functions and responsibilities of (several) agencies."
The document added that residents in these groups must be taught about sexuality, HIV/AIDS and STIs, sexual negotiating skills and condom use. They must also be given support to develop caring attitudes and skills for people living with HIV/AIDS.
