With statistics showing an increase in the incidence of HIV/AIDS among young people, the Ministry of Health will this week target the adolescent population with a series of activities aimed at discouraging risky sexual behaviour.

The week of events will commence with today's launch of Safe Sex Week at St William Grant Park, downtown Kingston. Several schools have been invited to participate in the launch.
Health ministry officials will also visit the popular Asylum Nightclub in New Kingston from tomorrow to Thursday to distribute information and condoms in "an exciting and fun way to promote safe sex", said Novia Condell, behaviour change communications officer in the Ministry of Health.

The highlight of the week will be an exposition at Mandela Park in Half-Way-Tree on Friday where various non-governmental organisations working closely with the ministry will have booths and displays. The event will be carried live on ZIP FM.
Another exposition will be held at the Sovereign Centre in Liguanea, Condell said, adding that persons from the adjoining areas "can come out and be 'edutained' and collect information to promote responsible behaviour".

Organised activities, she said, will extend beyond the boundaries of Kingston into all parishes, and Condell invited persons to call their local public health department to get information on the activities for the week.
Safe Sex Week is being observed under the theme: "Work It Right Every Time: Use A Condom".

According to an AIDS Report released for the period January to June 2002, of the 511 new cases of AIDS, 30 occurred in adolescents and young adults in the 15 to 24 age group.
Thirty-four per cent of the new AIDS cases were reported as AIDS deaths, which meant that those persons were diagnosed with the disease when they died.

According to Condell, of the 34 per cent of the new AIDS cases reported as AIDS deaths, five per cent represented persons between the ages of 15 and 24 years and 12 per cent between ages 25 and 29 years.
"If you are diagnosed with AIDS when you are 25 to 29 years old, that means you were HIV positive when you were a teen," she explained, while adding that the figures indicated the necessity and urgency to focus on adolescents during the week and afterwards.

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