The alarming rate of 23 per cent HIV/AIDS prevalence in Muyuka, Cameroon has been blamed on ignorance, promiscuity and high alcoholism

Nkeze Mbonwoh:

A workshop organised by the Noble Social Group (NSG) unveiled the situation recently in Muyuka after a two-day meeting.

Participants were told that some cfa 20 million had been disbursed by the provincial technical group for the prevention of HIV/AIDS but hardly was the money used for the purpose. The over 25 local AIDS control committees in the area have remained ineffective because those who man the committees lack the basic knowledge about the pandemic. As such they cannot pass the message across to members of the public.

Money has been disbursed yearly for the local committees to sensitise the population, pay for consultation and drugs at the Muyuka district hospital. During the two day workshop NSG experts, Chasiah Moses, Forgwei Gideon and Ewane Theophil and Anrah Alphonse edified participants on voluntary counselling and testing; vulnerability factors; and basic understanding and prevention of the pandemic.

Participants came from all walks of life, "buyam sellams" nurses, teachers, students and workers. They brainstormed on the possible causes and solutions to the pandemic. The seminar also revealed that two phenomena were to be discouraged in order to check the spread of the HIV/AIDS in Muyuka: the vindictive attitude of carriers due to the "will-not-die alone-syndrome" promiscuity in rural setting like Muyuka coupled with alcohol intake.

Going under the knife to avoid HIV

CROI: Origins of HIV Traced to Chimps in Cameroon

The Mosquito and the Bottle