By Pamella Fae Jackson, Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
WITH ST. JAMES still holding the record of HIV/AIDS cases per capita, the St. James Health Department is reporting that the rate of increase is "as high as it has always been".
And though there are more cases being reported, the parish's Medical Officer of Health (MOH), Dr. Abiodun Olukoga, contends that this could be due to the rate of identification, rather than any increase in the pure number of cases themselves. Figures compiled by the Ministry of Health's Epidemiology Unit record that two out of three persons with HIV infection seek medical care at a late stage of the disease. AIDS workers admit hundreds may go unreported as people fear the stigma attached to the disease.
Citing a "multifaceted approach" to its attack on the disease, Dr. Olukoga said the health department is maintaining public awareness of the nature of the disease, including a bi-monthly newspaper column and talks in schools, clubs and other institutions.
He explained that talks are held at schools from primary to tertiary. A recent incident of two preadolescents caught having sex in the classroom illustrated the difficulties of sex education.
When caught, the boy reportedly said: "But I used a condom". "Twelve year olds have no business having sex. But you have to accept some things the way you see them and work from that," he said. He added that given the situation, talks held at schools aim at both prevention and the reduction of misconceptions.
The Epidemiology Unit reported in June that in March of this year, there were 24 children under the age of ten newly reported with AIDS, while every week in Jamaica two HIV infected children are born. And last year alone 150 children lost their parents to the disease.
"People still have a lot of myths about HIV/AIDS, so the talks increase the awareness. We also encourage persons to get tested. If they test positive, we work with support groups, like the Jamaica AIDS Support and JN Plus because treatment of the disease involves more than "take this medicine". They have emotional needs, etc. We encourage them to get emotional support," Dr. Olukoga said. Apart from St. James, the Epi Unit reports that three other western parishes: Hanover, Westmoreland and Trelawny have all seen rapid increase in recorded cases. Up to December, there were 4,196 cases reported across the island.
