Re: Abstinence: A risk-free option in fighting HIV/AIDS in Zambia

[Guest guest]

Members,

Below are what other members are saying about abstinence.

Chifu

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Congratulations to Saphira Nachizya and Lamba Simpito on their

sharing on Abstinence. I hope many young people listen to the good

advice given by them. It is great that many young people are to-day

taking that approach and saving many lives. I believe that the

abstinence programme promoted in Uganda is responsible for the

decrease in the prevalence rates in that country.

We need to look at the behaviours that are leading to the spread of

HIV/AIDS and address them if we are to win this battle. People keep

searching for a vaccine. We have the vaccine for 90% of cases which

is a risk free option but which society does not like to look at,

that is Abstinence before marriage, and faithfulness in marriage.

Young people keep up the good work of saving lives.

Dr. Miriam Duggan.FRCOG

mirdug@...

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Chifu:

Your contributions on this terrible plague has been nothing short of

excellent. I read your first artcle and felt so much pain in myself

because I know that African can control and even prevent this

infection/disease,if we are committed to it, but we are too timid to

face up to the facts. Look at our political leaders and their

reaction to the rising prevalence of the disease and mortality,

especially among the young people. It is very disturbing. I did not

bother to read the article below and I am taking a chance here at

making comments on your great questions raised. I may be wrong, but I

am going to throw in my own bit. Others may add more substance

later.

You asked, " should ALL African governments give out condoms free on

demand to anyone who ask no matter what the financial cost " ????

The answer to the first part is YES, but with some modifications. The

condoms should be given to those between the ages of 18 and above or

at whatever age a particular country decides when youths reach an

adult age. It could be expensive,, but is there anything more

expensive than saving lives and the next generation? I do not think

so. Prevention is what we need in Africa and the only ways are

absetience and safer sex. Absetince is somthing that is hard to

enforce, so why not give out free condoms, but first educate the

population on its proper use. I suggest that education classes be

organized for the civil servants and soldiers, police etc on the

proper use of condoms. To achieve this in Africa, we must adopt what

Thialand did. They first declared HIV/AIDS as a national security

threat and got the top army brats deeply involved and committed to its

implementation. There was total political commitment. They next went

after the genaral population and most importantly, after the female

commercial sex workers (FCSWs). They essentially ordered the FCSWs

not to entertain any customers who refuse to use a condom each time

and to limit the number of customers to 5 a day. It worked and their

numbers are going down steeply. We can do the same in Africa after

eduacting our populations.

You asked, " Should soldires and government workers undergo manditory

testing? "

The short answer is yes, but I will say that it be voluntary at first

and then introducing over time in phases the manditory testing, if

people fail to do it by voluntary means. Again, to be succesful, we

need to educate the people first and then once they understand the

principles behind the regulations and the benefit to them and their

families, it will be very simple to accept and tolerate manditory

teating by all.

You asked, " Should all couples getting married have manditory HIV/AIDS

testing?? "

This is obviously and absolutely YES. If this is not done in any

country in Africa, it should start immediately. Infact, I think after

marriage, thecouples should be brave enough to do annual testing

during the annual medical chech ups, if this visits to the doctors

are done atal. This should done and should include other sexually

transmitted diseases as well, since they predispose people to HIV

infection. The couseling is first done pre-testing and post-testing

and done on regularly. I know that humans are difficult creatures to

change their behaviors, but we cannot afford to be complacent in this

matter. It is a matter of life or death, and indeed,death of nations.

You asked, " Will, preaching abstinece be ok in Africa TODAy? " Maybe

and maybe not, depending on the population. I strongly believe

thatit will only work after lengthy educational programs are

established and are successful in Africabyradio, TV in chools,

colleges and University, atwork and in homes. Some are practicing

abstinence and will continue to practice it, but other will not. This

is a very difficult and sensitive issue in Africa today. That is why

we shouls emback on preventive measures like safer sex.You asked, " Are

we condeming youths to the effects of the disease? " Absolutely not.

No one is condeming youths. They need help from all angles and from

different sources and groups. Educating them, education them

,follow up and monitoring their response and their activities is

important.We need to braek the cycle of habbits that expose them to

HIV/AIDs, drinking, smooking, unprotected sex, practice of safer sex

if they are sexually active. No matter what we do, they will have sex

anyway, so the best is to do it right and safely. This prevents other

STDs and prevent unwatnted pregnacies among the girls as well. You

asked, " In what class should schools start teaching sex education?? " .

As early as possible, say at six year old, first teaching them what

theirprivate parts are known and what they are used for. Then slowly

introduce the word sex and its meaning until they reach an age that

they can better understand all these terminologies. You will be

surprised to know whatthese six year olds know and are capable of

learning and remembering. This should be upt to each country to adopt

what they think is right for them to do.I know that this is not an

exhausive one, but as I said before, others will add some meat to it.

Let us keep this discusion alive.

Thanks again,

Aiah A. Gbakima

Baltimore, MD

Source: People to People Group

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Dear all,

Chifu has posed three most pertinent questions.

The article on abstinence is very important.

The current Bush administration has pledged a donation of

some 15 million dollars and has strings attcahed to it.

that AIDS programs which include abortion or family

planning should not be considered to benefit from this

money ( IF and when it comes at all), and emphasises that

the programs should encourage abstinence.

The sexual freedom doctrinated by most westren societies

has infiltarted all domains..including many religious

organisations. The sex revolution of early 60s is taking

its toll. Not only there is sexual freedom..but at many

times it is moralised to have unrestricted sex...

Now, the West realises the impact of this and pushes for

an abstinence agenda. While we in Africa should accept it

in a natural way..some of us have been imbibed by Freedom

of sex doctrine and cannot accept this as a most useful

tool.

I think that abstinence is a way forward.

I quote Magic - the famous bastketball player who

declared his HIV status and became an advocate on HIV/AIDS

prevention.

" This is a time when parents should be responsible to

educate their children, instead of getting their

information from outside, where the virus causing AIDS is

running loose. Teach your children the value of

abstinence, which go far beyond...i repeat far beyond

prevention of HIV/AIDS, STIs or unwanted prganacies " .

How very true.

Its time we face this challenge instead of taking short

cuts. When sexual revolution began in sixties, unwanted

pregnanices ensued..so pills were primarily made a short

cut to this problem..and so were condoms. In the early

70s, use of condoms was equated with promiscuity.... In

many African countries, it was extremely rare to see any

advertisement or even sale in pharmacy openly..now it is a

norm. A small kids asks his fellow what is this

advertisement about..everywhere.

Then, still pregnances ensued..so legalising abortion

became an issue. While many African countries still

consider abortion as illegal...they are thousands of

clandestine abortions taking place everyday.

The military issue is yet another problem. With affluence,

with plenty of alcohol and freedom of sex...what do you

expect the military to be doing...not surpsrising that the

high pay of militia leads to higher enticement of the poor

women..and there it goes.

As for screening before marriage, ask a respectable loving

father of an abstaining duaghter, who is asked the

daughters hand by a boy for marriage...and finds out only

after her first delivery that she is HIV positive, and

that his grandson is also HIV positive.

Fornication and promiscuity is more rampant among boys in

some communities, and the innocent girls become a victim

of circumstances. When we say women empowerment, they

should be really empowered to say that I would not get

married to a boy who has rowed his royal oats in the sea

of HIV and now asks my aboard!!!! No, sorry , thanks.

Karim manji,

Tanzania

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Let me add a small in put in this debate,

It is people like who are so single channeled in their approach

believing what works in the west must work for Africa.

Condoms they say, How long has condom been around? what is the

acceptance rate? I can guess for you, that even in the best settings

in Africa Condom acceptance has NEVER passed 30%!

The approach to MSM has to be different for youth in Africa in:

primary school, secondary school and tertiary education institutions.

ABCEFG strategy listed in order of priority remains the only sensible

option for dealing with HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Abstinence tops by far 45% of Populations in SSA are under 18 years.

This is where the battle shall be won or loss, Condom is a minor

option for this group.

Let us be more objective in our criticism of others opinion

Dr Festus Ilako , AMREF Nairobi

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Anyone who preaches abstinence as the major strategy against AIDS and

tries to blame promiscuity in Africa and elsewhere on the sexual

revolution of the 60's in the West is not only hopelessy naive, but

dangerous.

Graham, Ethiopia

*********

Dear Colleagues,

Apparently I have found the current debate on abstinence very

interesting and educative, the article in question originates from My

country Zambia and I wish to mention here that the issue of abstinence

is very critical. However, having worked for several organizations

that are involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS here in Zambia. What

have learnt from these organizations is that they really would not

want to see a situation where people who are positive are going to be

discriminated against because of their status. Like talking about

Uniformed services personnel, we all know for sure that people who

join the military join when they are negative and only become

positive during the course of their services in the Military. It is

for these reason that perhaps the article was blow out portion,

therefore in debating the subject let us try and keep our emotions

down we are all learning from each other. HIV/AIDS is here together

lets find better ways of responding to the issues both through

actions and words, otherwise I have learnt a lot during the last few

days of discussion on abstinence that is going on and I wish to thank

Chifu for having raised the question. Karim great observation.

Louis Mwewa, Zambia

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[Guest guest]

Colleagues,

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn from you all on

abstinence and be able to give my point of view. What I would like is

solution to the alarming spread of hiv/aids in Africa. Could an

alternative be good-quality sex education? what is clear and present

danger is that our youth in Africa engage in risky sexual behaviour

and they perhaps know of the risks of unprotected sex but feel

hiv/aids could not possibly happen to them.I remember a few years ago

3 my fellow Kenyans who lived in different parts of the United States

went to Kenya for christmas holidays. On coming back all they could

is brag about how they they 'painted Nairobi red' " and it was girls,

girls, and girls and party all nights. One of the 3 was kind of

reserved and very laid back. He asked his two friends what happened

to personal responsibility, safe sex, love, marriage and

faithfulness? The reaction from the two ranged from utter surprise

to like he sounded like a Health Ministry leaflets.!! and that is

ignorance from even the educated ones. So back to abstinence issue.

About 50-80% of the married women in Africa with HIV have never been

unfaithful to their husbands. Their husbands have been unfaithful to

them, and then infected them as a result of the problem. None of the

children with HIV/AIDS have loved sexual sin or worshipped gross

immorality.

Many of the younger people with HIV/AIDS in Africa have exchanged

sex for food or shelter, nothing to do with loving sexual sin or

worshipping gross immorality. HIV/AIDS in Africa can be prevented

from being spread by a combination of social upliftment, cultural

enrichment of women, including paying attention to education, and by

providing condoms which will be used. Addressing issues of

sexual sin would not prevent many people from passing the problem on

to their legal wife/wives. That is not to say that abstinence from

sexual sin should not be encouraged.

Abstinence and faithfulness would certainly help the problem, but not

solve it entirely at least in my opinion.

Sorry if I digress from the subject a little bit!!

Nice weekend,

Chifu

[Guest guest]

Stevek <stevek941@y...> wrote:

> Chifu,

>

> But talking about facts, I believe facts have been

> presented to you to show that the spread of the

> syndrome is due more to contaminated invasive surgical

> instruments (such as needles and scapels) in African

> hospitals, clinics, and other places than anything

> else. Indeed, the fact that most of young Africans

> (both male and female) are exposed to contaminated

> surgical instruments in the village before they have

> sex. I mean circumcision!

*******

Steve,

My mind is lingering with questions after getting home and reading

your post. My questions are as follows:-

(a)what's the chance of catching HIV through unprotected sex with an

infected person?

(b)what's the chance of catching HIV through protected sex with an

infected person?

© what's the chance of catching HIV through not having sex with an

infected person?

(e) what's the chance of catching HIV through contaminated invasive

surgical instruments (such as needles and scapels)in African

hospitals, clinics, and other places than anything else?

Incidentally, I just came across this report in Botswana and it

boggles my mind why a nurse will do such a thing...read on

" Aids is devastating countries across Southern Africa

A senior nurse has been suspended after using a single needle to

vaccinate 83 schoolchildren in north-western Botswana.

This sparked panic among the parents, in a country where about 39% of

adults in the population have HIV, the virus which leads to Aids.

Sharing needles is one of the most common ways in which HIV is

spread.

The nurse, who has not been named, was vaccinating the children, aged

between seven and 13, against hepatitis and tetanus. "

End

This article is a sad reminder of realities we are facing in Africa

but that is only part of the problems we have on the spread of

hiv/aids. People in Africa do not have the benefit of generous

hospital treatments and access to the latest treatment. In Kenya,

the average medical spend per capita per annum is something like $6;

it costs around $50 for an HIV test. To attribute the main cause of

the spread of hiv/aids is through " to contaminated invasive surgical

instruments " is not quite accurate. I remember a case study done in

Uganda a few years ago which showed the spread of HIV. It was shown

that historically the virus followed the major trucking routes, where

prostitutes were known to work. It then spread from there into local

communities through truckers who took it back to their towns and

villages. Talk about abstinence!!

You do have a valid point though and I am not dismissing your claim

as one might think. I am just questioning your reasoning!!

Chifu

--- End forwarded message ---