HIV/Aids services among adolescents encouraged

TANZANIA is facing a shortage of Adolescent Youth Friendly Health Services (AYFHS), forcing an American nongovernmental organization (NGO) to mitigate it.

Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) Senior Official, Dr Charles Edward, said here that 70 per cent of health centres have no such facilities, making it difficult for the adolescents’ health, because in the country about 60 per cent of all new HIV infections occur among the youth aged between 15 and 24 years.

“In Tanzania, 60 per cent of all new HIV infections occur among youths aged 15- 24 years; poor linkage to and retention in HIV care, high loss to follow-up between testing and initiation of antiretroviral treatment and poor treatment adherence are contributing factors to AIDS now being the leading cause of death and morbidity among Tanzanian adolescents and young adults,” he said.

It is against that background, he said, that EGPAF have designed a project responding to high requirements of HIV/AIDS services among the adolescents, establishing five AYFHS in five health facilities, some of which are health centres and hospitals in Moshi. He was speaking during the Advocacy Meeting on Adolescent Reproductive Health for Decision makers in Kilimanjaro Region. He noted that Moshi district has a big number of adolescents and youth who need such services compared to others.

“The project targets adolescents with HIV to help curb increasing infections and AIDS-related deaths among the group. It is geared towards improving access and uptake of HIV testing and counselling, as well as retention to care and treatment in a very friendly environment in the health centres and hospitals where they can express themselves without fear,” he said. The two-year project which was launched in October, last year, will be implemented in 11 districts of five regions in the country.

Apart from Kilimanjaro, other regions are Arusha, Shinyanga, Tabora and Katavi. An official from the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Mr Gerald Kiwele, said it is pertinent to embrace Comprehensive Council Health Plans (CCHP) in carrying out of the project.

Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Saidi Meki Sadiki hailed EGPAF for its activities in the health services, saying apart from prevention of new infections among the adolescents and the youth, the project will support the government’s efforts to curb school pregnancies.

He urged stakeholders to work with the adolescents and the youth and raise awareness among them so as to ensure the malady is exterminated while those infected remain healthy by adhering to medical advice.

He was upbeat to get the project as Kilimanjaro Region is rocked with early pregnancies, currently with about 228 students expecting. Moshi District Council Chairman, Mr Michael Kilawila, thanked EGPAF, saying the programme will highly help support the youth and adolescents, especially females.