Although recent surveys are showing a decline in the rate of HIV/AIDS in Jamaica, there is still concern about high risk groups and general sex practises in the population.
At a work shop today the Senior Director for Monitoring and Evaluation in the National HIV Programme, Dr. Sharlene Jarrett presented some revealing data on the state of the epidemic. The data presented showed that 1.7 percent of Jamaicans are living with HIV/AIDS, this translates to 32 thousand persons who have been infected. It was also clear that many persons were not being tested as results of the survey conducted by the programme show that 50 percent of persons do not know their status.
Dr. Jarrett pointed out that although the levels of contracting the disease among high risk groups such as sex workers and men who have sex with men have decreased within a 10 year span the numbers are still alarmingly high. The infection has been seen in all parishes, however St. James and Kingston and St. Andrew have most cases.
In the newest data presented by Dr. Jarrett which was compiled this year, younger women continue to be at risk and there are alarming rates of males with multiple partners even as they continue to be in stable relationships. Persons with multiple partners were asked about condom use and this revealed that 42 percent of respondents said they used a condom all the time but 10 percent reported never using one at all in their last 10 sexual encounters.
All feeds
