WARNING that Jamaica’s AIDS problem could escalate the way South Africa’s did, Douglas Orane, Grace Kennedy’s Chief Executive Officer, on Monday called for more to be done to stem the growing tide of the disease.

“We have an infection rate in Jamaica today of about 1.5 per cent. South Africa, 10 years ago, was one per cent. Today, it is 11 per cent. If you just extrapolate 11 per cent of any institution in Jamaica, you will see the potential problem. It could happen to us in the next 10 years,” he warned.

One of the challenges, Orane said, was that addressing the problem touches on two sensitive issues.

“One is sex — that everybody likes to think about, and death, that few people like to think about. But we have to do something about it,” he urged.

Orane was speaking at the official launch of the University of the West Indies’ Special Students’ Alumni Association at the institution’s Mona Visitors Lodge in Papine, St Andrew. The association aims to increase representation on campus for the university’s physically challenged students.

Citing figures that pointed to a 60 to 70 per cent infection rate at one African university, the CEO painted a bleak picture of sections of that continent where only the elderly had been spared the ravages of AIDS.

“It is a prescription for certain impoverishment and should act as a wake-up call for Jamaicans,” the former independent Senator said.

Current figures indicate that:

* more than 22,000 Jamaicans are infected with HIV/AIDS,

* it is the second leading cause of death in the island’s children aged one to four,

* an estimated 5,125 children under the age of 15 are orphaned by the loss of a mother or both parents, and

* females in the 10-14 and 15-19 age groups have twice and three times higher risks of HIV infection, respectively, than boys in the same age group. This is seen as a result of social factors where young girls are having sexual relations with HIV-infected older men.

Orane suggested that Jamaicans change their sexual behaviour and attitude to people who are HIV positive as ways in which the problem could be partially addressed. He mentioned a programme being run in Botswana, that has a 40 per cent infection rate, as one that Jamaica could adopt.

“Botswana is running a very aggressive campaign that appears to be effective. It is called the ‘ABC’ campaign. ‘A”, abstain, or ‘B’, be faithful. If you can’t do ‘A’ or ‘B’, then ‘C” condomise.” The message is then constantly driven home by the media, through the use of billboards etc,” he explained.

He also urged Jamaicans not to discriminate against those who are HIV-infected, adding that Grace Kennedy had implemented an HIV/AIDS Policy 10 years ago and suggesting that other companies do the same.