Duration: 4 min 59 sec

Transcript

KHOPOTSO: Overall, almost 12 000 youth aged between 15 and 24 took part in the nationwide survey which showed an HIV prevalence rate of 10,2 percent. All youth who agreed to take part in the survey also agreed to an anonymous saliva-based HIV test. Dr David Harrison, Chief Executive Officer of the youth focussed loveLife campaign says the 10 % percent HIV prevalence rate is consistent with previous surveys, particularly the Human Sciences Research Council’€™s report of 2002.

DR DAVID HARRISON: In other words, one in ten of our young people less than the age of 25, are already infected by HIV. That’€™s catastrophic for this country. But we must not lose sight of the opportunity. And the opportunity exists in the fact that virtually none of our 13 and 14 year olds are HIV positive. If we can get them to stay that way we will change the course of the epidemic within five to ten years. Opportunity also rests in the fact that a large percentage of young people who are having sex are engaging in high-risk sex. If we can move even a relatively small percentage of those people, 20 %, out of the high-risk pool we can potentially trigger a large decline in overall infection.

KHOPOTSO: The survey found that youths in peri-urban informal settlements are at the highest risk of HIV infection, followed by youth living on farms. This underscores the fact that HIV infection is driven by poverty and low education. In response to the question: ‘€˜Do you perceive yourself at risk for HIV?’€™ almost 40 % of youth said they were at no risk at all and 35 % indicated they were at low risk. A shocking finding was that over 60 % of those who said they were at no risk were actually HIV positive. Researchers say this underlines the need for people to know about their status. I asked some young people about how they saw their risk of contracting HIV.

KYLE PAFFRET: I’€™m Kyle Paffrett, from Vereeniging, south of Johannesburg’€¦ I think you should only have have sex when you’€™re married because that way you know who you’€™re having sex with and you know that they aren’€™t HIV positive and that way you protect yourself against AIDS’€¦ That’€™s exactly what I’€™ve decided to do personally’€¦ probably because I’€™m scared. That’€™s what inspires it. I’€™m scared, so I’€™m very responsible about what I do about what I do and I protect myself against it.

KHOPOTSO: According to the youth survey, Kyle is one of few white youngsters who actually thinks they are at risk of HIV infection.

Less than 40 percent of white youths approached by researchers were prepared to take part in the survey compared to 71 percent of African youth. Lunga Mbatha is 19 years old and is a student at Wits Technikon, in Johannesburg. He thinks constant use of condoms is the route to follow.

LUNGA MBATHA: I could know you my whole life and there’€™s still going to be at least six or seven very important things about my life that you don’€™t know. And if somebody’€™s got an STD or they’€™re HIV positive, they’€™re not going to tell you because they have the right to keep it to themselves. It might endanger the other person, but it’€™s that person’€™s right’€¦ You can’€™t take chances. No matter how long you’€™ve known somebody. Until you both go and get tested.

KHOPOTSO: Angela is 19 years old and stays in Bosmont, in Johannesburg. She first had sex last year at age 18.

ANGELA: Nah, I don’€™t think I’€™m at risk at all. We don’€™t believe in not using a condom. Even if you love someone it shouldn’€™t be that way’€¦ Some people get scared when they use a condom you never know it might break or something’€¦ but when I did it we would always, like before he came, he would like pull it out, so he wouldn’€™t come inside of me. So, it was more safer and I felt more sure that nothing would happen.                            

KHOPOTSO: Although they know that HIV and AIDS is a reality, none of the youths I spoke with had ever gone for an HIV test. Given the vast amounts of youth-focussed HIV/AIDS information that has been produced in recent years by campaigns such as loveLife and the government’€™s Khomanani campaign, does the 10 % prevalence rate of HIV amongst the youth call for a change of tack? LoveLife’€™s Dr David Harrison.

DR DAVID HARRISON: In terms of HIV prevention the way forward is, clearly, that we have to get to those young people that we’€™re not reaching. And while, loveLife has been able to reach 80 % of young people in South Africa, there are 20 % who are not yet reached. And I think the second big imperative now is to move beyond the concept of communications-driven awareness; to begin to link awareness with real services, with real change for young people on the ground’€¦ improving public clinics to make them friendly to young people, improving recreational services for young people, beginning to make the link between HIV prevention and poverty alleviation.    

The full  survey can be found here    

E-mail Khopotso Bodibe