Joseph: Youth biggest challenge in HIV/AIDS fight

HIV/AIDS Peer Communicator Sydney Joseph has identified the youth of this country as his biggest challenge in the fight against HIV/AIDS.{{more}}

Joseph, a peer communicator with the National AIDS Secretariat (NAS) for the past two years, said: “My major challenge, and it will be a challenge for any other who comes in after me, is the youths.”

He said youth are always sexually motivated, and this is a result of the tunes that they sing, the music that they listen to, the movies that they look at, and the food they eat.

“We are seeing a lot of teenagers now being pregnant, and once a teenager could be pregnant it’s through the same contact they could contract STIs or HIV,” said Joseph.

“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to really know that,” he exclaimed.

Joseph said his aim is to encourage the youth to protect themselves.

Meanwhile, Joseph in an exclusive interview with SEARCHLIGHT on June 17, at the George McIntosh Building, noted that through his work he has discovered that a lot of Vincentians do not know the difference between HIV/AIDS.

“Many people does say ‘you go catch AIDS’ but nobody can catch AIDS,” said Joseph.

Joseph, who is HIV positive but has dedicated his life towards sensitizing others, explained that AIDS is a syndrome that develops from having the HIV over a period of time.

He is reminding persons who have tested positive for HIV that they they can lead normal lives by taking anti-retroviral drugs.

Joseph is of the view that generally Vincentians are not fully sensitized about HIV/AIDS. However, most persons know something about HIV/AIDS.

“They mightn’t have the full knowledge about it, but some know something about what is out there,” said Joseph.

Addressing the issue concerning people’s refusal to use condoms because of the fear of irritation, Joseph said frankly: “When a person wants to be defensive they look for excuses, but at the end of the day if you really want to protect yourself and you know the danger that is out there awaiting, you will protect yourself.”

He advised persons who are easily irritated by lubicrated condoms to use non-lubricated ones, also known as dry-condoms, which are not oil based.

Joseph concluded that the packaging of condoms should be more attractive. He said he made this suggestion to a condom factory manager recently.