Youth call for HIV testing age to move from 18 to 12 years

HIV testing kit

HIV/AIDS Testing kit

A new report shows that youth demand for the lowering of the age consent for HIV/AIDS testing for the young generation. This was revealed by the young people in the base line survey conducted in Luwero and Nakasongola districts by the community health Alliance Uganda on top of other districts in Buganda and Busoga  under the project known as Linkup project funded by the embassy of Netherlands in Uganda focusing on the reproductive health, rights and HIV integration among the young people.

The youth in the report said that the consent age for HIV/AIDS testing should move from 18 years to 12 years to accommodate many of the young generation since some of them could be getting this disease at early age.
The head of the project evaluation Prof. Narathius Asingirwire while releasing this report at imperial Royale hotel in Kampala said that there should be scale up of advocacy interventions that that focus on access to services among young vulnerable people which include availing space for youth corners in most of the health facilities to enable them freely test for Sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

The report shows that 95% of the youth in districts of Nakasongola, Luwero, Kampala, Wakiso, Jinja, Mukono, Kayunga, Kamuli, Mayuge, Namutumba and Bugiri now know the availability of HIV/AIDS testing services within their communities and 80% reported using condoms to avoid STIs. The survey covered 0ver 3000 young people in 11 districts carried on Bodaboda riders, female sex workers, Trucker drivers, fishing community, teenage mothers among others.

The Acting Director  General of Health service Dr.Anthony Mbonye said that the ministry of health will work with development partners to mobilize communities for better seeking practices for illnesses and diseases.

The Netherlands Ambassador to Uganda Alphons Hennekens said that his country will continue invest much in realization of sexual and reproductive health supplies including promoting health rights and HIV/AIDS prevention among young people.

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