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The documentary in Zambia reflects what is found in most other
African nations and I must congratulate Sorious Samura for taking up the
challenge to bring this to light. Whilst agreeing with Joanna Busza that
the programme did not probe deeply enough into the wider socio-economic
factors that make HIV so rampant in the African continent, I think Sorious
Samura documentary brings to light a new evil – African men’s resistance
to sexual behavioural change. This is a very serious issue for all
concerned with the control of HIV/AIDS in Africa.
In Africa because the main way in which HIV/AIDS is spread is
behavioural through unprotected sex, changing behaviour can greatly reduce
the spread.
Frankly, from what was coming out of this documentary, behavioural change
especially condom use would be difficult to achieve here.
The question we should be asking ourselves is how do we overcome this
barrier? Why are the men resistant to change? What are we doing or not
doing right? How do we change the attitude of our African brothers towards
this scourge that threatens our very existence?
One way surely would be to provide pre & post counselling for HIV/AIDS
and to provide care and support for people living with the disease.
Involving the local religious organisations by encouraging them to
understand that giving safe sex education and promoting condom use to
prevent exchange of bodily fluid is not encouraging promiscuity but rather
a way to reduce the spread of the disease would also be helpful.
One thing for sure, if we have to win this fight, there has to be a
renewed thinking of how we provide sexual behavioural change education
especially condom use in Africa this calls for more research and concerned
agency’s/organisations must continue to support whatever local HIV/AIDS
programme is in place. They must continue to provide the manpower and
funds needed to support such programmes/researches.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests:
No competing interests
05 July 2005
Dr Emma Okpo
Public Health Medicine
Dept of Public Health, Harrow Primary Care Trust, Harrow Middlsex HA1 3EX
Living with Aids-Where do we go from here?
Email emmaokpo@yahoo.co.uk
The documentary in Zambia reflects what is found in most other
African nations and I must congratulate Sorious Samura for taking up the
challenge to bring this to light. Whilst agreeing with Joanna Busza that
the programme did not probe deeply enough into the wider socio-economic
factors that make HIV so rampant in the African continent, I think Sorious
Samura documentary brings to light a new evil – African men’s resistance
to sexual behavioural change. This is a very serious issue for all
concerned with the control of HIV/AIDS in Africa.
In Africa because the main way in which HIV/AIDS is spread is
behavioural through unprotected sex, changing behaviour can greatly reduce
the spread.
Frankly, from what was coming out of this documentary, behavioural change
especially condom use would be difficult to achieve here.
The question we should be asking ourselves is how do we overcome this
barrier? Why are the men resistant to change? What are we doing or not
doing right? How do we change the attitude of our African brothers towards
this scourge that threatens our very existence?
One way surely would be to provide pre & post counselling for HIV/AIDS
and to provide care and support for people living with the disease.
Involving the local religious organisations by encouraging them to
understand that giving safe sex education and promoting condom use to
prevent exchange of bodily fluid is not encouraging promiscuity but rather
a way to reduce the spread of the disease would also be helpful.
One thing for sure, if we have to win this fight, there has to be a
renewed thinking of how we provide sexual behavioural change education
especially condom use in Africa this calls for more research and concerned
agency’s/organisations must continue to support whatever local HIV/AIDS
programme is in place. They must continue to provide the manpower and
funds needed to support such programmes/researches.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests