Tuesday, August 17, 2010

SWAZIS WON’T CHANGE SEX BEHAVIOUR

In a kingdom with the highest HIV infection rate in the world and the lowest life expectancy, experts are still at a loss as to why Swazis have resisted all attempts to change the behaviours that put them at risk from the virus.


The ABC (Abstain, Be Faithful, Condomise) approach has guided Swaziland’s HIV prevention efforts for years, but has dismally failed to slow the spread of the virus.


“If you look at the increase of HIV in the country while we've been applying the ABC concept all these years, then it is evident that ABC is not the answer,” said Dr Derek von Wissell, Director of the National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS (NERCHA).


Von Wissell has called for new approaches and is hoping to get some answers from a countrywide study looking into Swazis’ sexual behaviour being undertaken with the assistance of the World Bank.


For more of this report from the Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) click here.

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