BRAZZAVILLE, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The sixth edition of an anti- AIDS forum, which aimed at contributing to the reduction of the vulnerability of young people to HIV/AIDS, is being held in Brazzaville between Sept. 12 and Sept. 20.
The information was issued on Thursday in Brazzaville by the Republic of Congo's National Council for Fighting against HIV/AIDS (CNLS).
The 6th edition will enable youths in Brazzaville to improve their understanding on HIV/AIDS in order to develop their competencies in the management of risks associated with the disease.
The forum is to be used to offer counselling and free HIV testing not only to the youths, but also to the adults.
The forum will also be used for sharing of experiences between people living with HIV/AIDS and those who are not yet contaminated in order to reduce stigmatization and discrimination in the Congolese society.
The anti-AIDS forums were initiated in 2008 by CNLS and the youth ministry to reduce the prevalence of AIDS among youths and adolescents who were considered as the most vulnerable social group.
A study carried out in 2009 showed that HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the Republic of Congo is estimated to be 3.2 percent among people aged between 15 to 49, and 1.7 percent among youths aged between 15 to 24. The study further showed that only 8 percent of young girls and 22 percent of young boys have sufficient information on HIV/AIDS.
|
