Irresponsible sexual contact and needle sharing in drug consumption are the main causes of the rapid spread of the HIV virus, which leads to AIDS, Sedqa said in a statement to mark World AIDS Day today.

Sedqa said it feels there should be a stronger emphasis on prevention, especially among the young generation.

It urged individuals whose behaviour might have put them at risk of contracting the HIV virus, to educate themselves, use the services available and, when indicated, undergo blood checks.

Sedqa will be emphasising more on one-to-one interventions with its service users to encourage HIV testing especially among the drug-injecting population. Through its harm minimisation philosophy, Sedqa promotes safety and cautiousness when it comes to drug abuse, mainly by discouraging needle sharing and sharing of other paraphernalia used for drug consumption, which can lead to the spread of infectious diseases such as Hepatitis and HIV.

Sedqa also appealed to young people not to indulge in excessive alcohol consumption, which can lead to unwanted sexual relationships and other risky behaviour.

Mgr Victor Grech, the director of Caritas, appealed to youths to be responsible, not to take risks and to safeguard their health and that of those around them.

"There is no guarantee that persons who have sexual contact with infected partners remain safe, even if some precautions are taken. Life is precious. Respect life!" Mgr Grech said.

Caritas offers pre- and post-HIV test counselling and can be contacted on 25906600.

The Integra Foundation has just published leaflets providing information about HIV/AIDS and STIs. These are available in the Maltese and English languages and have been sponsored by the Sexually Transmitted Infections Prevention Committee (STIPC) and Durex respectively.

The leaflets are available free of charge, and can be obtained by sending an e-mail to info@integrafoundation.org.

For further information about the HIV virus or AIDS, one can contact the Health Promotion Sexual Helpline 2326 6121 or send an e-mail to sexualhealth@gov.mt

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