The Health Ministry, worried by an increase in the number of adolescents engaged in risky sexual behaviour, says it will use the observance of World AIDS Day next Monday to focus on young people.

"AIDS is the second leading cause of death in persons 15-24," Dr Sheila Campbell Forrester, chief medical officer in the Ministry of Health, told reporters at a news conference at the ministry yesterday.

Dr Sheila Campbell Forrester addresses the media during a press conference at the Ministry of Health in Kingston yesterday, while Dr Kevin Harvey (right), senior medical officer in charge of HIV/AIDS in the Ministry of Health, and Lovette Byfield, director of HIV prevention, look on. (Photo: Karl McLarty)

".as of June 2007, we know that there were over 200 reported AIDS cases among adolescents," she said. "Between 1995 and 2006, HIV infection doubled in the age group 10 to 24."

According to Dr Campbell Forrester, girls 15 to 19 years are at three times higher risk of infection than males in the same age group. "When we look at sexual practices, the age group 15 to 19 years has the highest number of non-regular sex partners in the 12 months, according to the 2008 Knowledge, Attitude, Beliefs and Practices (KABP) study," said Campbell Forrester.

The KABP survey, she added, also found that 10 per cent of males and 19 per cent of females in the 15 to 19 age group have had sex in the last 12 months with a non-marital partner who is 10 or more years their senior.

At the same time, she said males 15 to 19 years old were most likely to engage in unprotected sex as most sex is not planned and condoms are not present at the time of sexual intercourse.

"The reason most frequently given for non-use of a condom is 'did not have one at the time'," she said.

Pointing out that the average age of sexual initiation remains 13 for boys and 15 for girls, Dr Campbell Forrester said, "While there has been some success in developing the health and family life education curriculum, other initiatives need to be put in place to address the vulnerability issues of out-of-school youths and unattached youths. Parents and guardians also have a responsibility in ensuring that children are raised with strong values and equipped with the life skills necessary in deterring risky sexual behaviour".

But even with the increase in HIV/AIDS cases among youngsters, the National HIV/STI programme is reporting a 30 per cent decrease in the number of AIDS-related deaths, and the number of persons developing AIDS has also declined by 30 per cent.

However, Dr Kevin Harvey, senior medical officer in charge of HIV/AIDS in the Ministry of Health, said the country is still not out of the woods, as, of the estimated 27,000 persons who have the disease, more than half are still unaware of their status.

The number of people currently on anti-retroviral drugs is still too low, he added.

In 2007, a total of 1,104 persons - 595 males and 509 females - with advanced HIV cases were reported, compared to 1,186 in 2006. Of these persons, 781 were diagnosed with AIDS compared to 1,112 persons in 2004.

AIDS deaths decreased from 514 in 2005 to 320 - 201 males and 119 females - last year.

"Over the last 20 years, we have had a significant increase [in AIDS cases] and it peaked somewhere in 2005. And over the last two years in particular, we have seen a decline in the number of reported AIDS cases," Dr Harvey said, adding that the drop is largely due to increased access to treatment. "Despite the significant campaigns that we have had for HIV testing, not enough persons in Jamaica know their HIV status. We have an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 persons that are at the stage of AIDS and are in need of ARV."

Dr Harvey also disclosed that the number of children with AIDS continues to decline due to the prevention of mother to child programme which provides medication to HIV-infected pregnant women.

One of the factors that continues to drive the epidemic in Jamaica is persons having multiple sex partners, especially as it relates to condom use.

"Condom use among persons who have multiple partners is not at the level we require, with only 43 per cent of those who engage in multiple partnerships saying that they used a condom consistently," said Dr Harvey.

Another factor driving the epidemic is transactional sex, which is defined as exchanging gifts or money for sex. The KABP survey indicated that 27 per cent of the 15-49 year-old population engaged in transactional sex.

"Only 41 per cent of those persons are using a condom every time they have sex," Dr Harvey pointed out, adding that men who have sex with men (MSM) also registered a low percentage of condom use, even though it is estimated that one in three MSMs have HIV.

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