HIV and teenage pregnancy rife in Limpopo

Nearly one in five people in Limpopo live with HIV and research results made available by ResponsibleME, an HIV education and prevention programme, last year indicated that the high incidence of teenage pregnancies in the province is a key contributor towards the increased risk of contracting HIV.
According to the research Limpopo recorded a 20% increase in learner pregnancies between 2014 and 2016. A press release issued by ResponsibleME Coordinator, Emma Oriol revealed that learners as young as nine years old are falling pregnant thereby leading to increased drop-out figures and risk of HIV infection.
With reference to former Minister of Health, Aaron Mtsoaledi sending a delegation to the United States of America recently to plead for the cause for foreign funding of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) not to be cut, Oriol argued that ARVs alone are not going to turn the tide for Limpopo.
“Often, HIV positive people aren’t even aware of their status or being treated. For those who are on ARVs, many stop taking them due to the side effects and others just forget, both resulting in increased doses and toxicity of the drugs. Concurrent to this, HIV can become resistant to ARVs over time, rendering them ineffective.”
The programme is facilitated from Grades five through ten and integrated into the curricula of Natural Sciences and Life Orientation.“For sustained engagement, educators are trained in delivering the programme lessons and facilitating on-going learner support. After school, parents and community members participate in Family Support Workshops to foster intergenerational dialogue and build cohesive networks of support.
Additionally, interaction with school administration teams focuses on instituting practical health and wellness policies that support HIV positive learners and educators; with all these elements ensuring the DNA of the two-year program is left in the community long after the direct training component is delivered,” the statement explained.
Oriol informed that the programme,introduced by Regency Foundation Networx in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund and the Department of Education in 2009, was designed to dig deeper than just handing out condoms. “Since 2009 the programme has run in over 500 schools, including 65 within Limpopo. ResponsibleME seeks to educate young South Africans with scientific knowledge and psycho-social skills. In Limpopo schools, emphasis is placed on pregnancy prevention, in some cases reducing teen pregnancy rates by 70%. Its goal is to raise the next generation to understand the bigger consequences of their decision making and to protect themselves and each other, ultimately reducing HIV prevalence and government spending.
“But behavioural change is a complex endeavour and HIV does not exist in a vacuum; transmission is closely tied to other exacerbating circumstance and for South African youth there are many. With its themes of Youth Engagement, Youth Empowerment, and Youth Entrepreneurship, ResponsibleME recognises that HIV cannot effectively be fought without considering the related factors of gender-based violence, malnutrition, unemployment, alcohol and drug use, and self-esteem.” the statement read.