109 living with HIV and AIDS
Young targeted in new campaign against sexually transmitted diseases
Sexual diseases in Malta continued to spread in recent years with Chlamydia quadrupling since 2004 and rates of Aids and HIV leaping again from last year.
The figures were released yesterday on World Aids Day at the launch of a campaign aimed at preventing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among young people.
The new campaign strives to be more pictorial in order to target young people directly and does not speak of any particular STD, choosing instead to tackle them all together.
It uses the World Health Organisation guidelines to encourage healthy sexual relationships, by focusing on abstinence, being faithful, using condoms responsibly and not doing drugs.
It also aims to encourage people to use the free services available such as the sexual health helpline and STD testing.
However, the campaign is not part of an official holistic strategy, since the National Sexual Health Policy has been in gestation for more than seven years. According to Health Department officials, it is now in a "very advanced" stage.
According to figures released yesterday, there are currently 109 people living with HIV and Aids in Malta. So far this year there have been five new cases of Aids and 24 cases of HIV, compared to last year's two and 16 respectively.
This year's figures are closer to those in 2006 when there were six new cases of Aids and 23 of HIV, meaning that there is no significant pattern when it comes to the incidence rates.
On the other hand, Malta has been very successful in curbing the spread of HIV and Aids among drug addicts. According to director general Ray Busuttil, this is thanks to those who work closely with such addicts.
Sexual health education in schools is generally done through personal and social development (PSD) lessons. From the age of 10, children are taught about personal hygiene and their physical development, while intimate relationships are discussed by the age of 13.
The use of condoms begins to be discussed at the ages of 14 and 15 but Maltese schools are notoriously inconsistent when it comes to speaking openly about condoms and other forms of protection.
The campaign's posters will be distributed in strategic locations such as nightclubs and bus shelters but the campaign will also be conducted on the radio and through the distribution of booklets.
According to the creators, this campaign was improved from previous editions since it was based on feedback and market research. Although the campaign will officially come to an end after January, they hope it will continue throughout the year with the help of the media.
cperegin@timesofmalta.com