HIV/AIDS : ASCOA health team to sensitize the public

On the occasion of the upcoming 2023 edition of the Mount Cameroon race of hope, team members of the health department of the Association for community awareness ASCOA plan to use the event and sensitize members of the community on HIV/AIDS and other health issues. Owing that the big sport jamboree will be bringing together thousands of spectators, ASCOA wants to seize the opportunity to sensitize members of the public on the proper use of the male and female condoms as well as do condom distribution, in a bid to guarantee safer sex practices amongst one and sundry and to keep new HIV infections at bay.

 A session to train the ASCOA team members took place recently in Buea and was coordinated by the PEPFAR regional focal point at the Regional technical group (RTG) for the fight against HIV/AIDS which is a unit of the Regional delegation of public health for the Southwest, Etchu Roland. He was at the ASCOA office to give the health workers the generalities on HIV/AIDS, what the disease is all about, its mode of transmission as well as preventive measures. “Then i did a demonstration on the use of the male and the female condoms and also the lubricant”, Etchu added. The trainer also noted and reminded the participants that HIV is real and it is still there. He further added that people have to understand that, the disease is always there and it is good to be sensitized on its existence “it’s always good to spread the good message about the disease, not actually to give the first messages. So that’s why I’m here, to build the team’s capacity on that”, Etchu added.

Mr Etchu Roland equally emphasized on the need for abstinence, especially to the youths who he revealed are at risk with numerous peer pressures and social ills to battle with. Young people should abstain from sex and wait for the right time where they can have the good knowledge and maturity. Handling sexual activities is very important they have to wait. I know there are excess peer pressure, but that doesn’t give them the room for them to be in touch with unprotected sex. One of the health team members at the training Ambo Noeline revealed that the ASCOA team will be having deferent sites to facilitate the work. Stands will be placed at the Molyko Omnisport Stadium in Buea which serves as the take-off point of the race. Other health stands will be at Bongo Square and Upper farms. The selected staff and volunteers will be divided and placed on the different locations Ambo Noeline added. 

Social activist

Bonita Fonkem was a participant at the training, she said that the training was very educative as she learned on the three ways of sexual intercourse and other issues related to HIV/AIDs. “The training was very educative and fun and I learned that that three ways people have sexual intercourse, which is oral, anal and through the vagina and the vagina is the most common one we all know, and the three modes of transmission”. On his part, one of the participants a social activist Mukete Samuel, said that the training gained them him the knowledge on how to use sexual protective materials to avoid STI’s and other contractions “I learned on how to use both male and female condoms” Mukete revealed. The outreach exercise by ASCOA will take place on saturday february 25, 2023 on the occasion of the 2023 edition of the mount Cameroon race of hope. The program has been caption « your health : our concern ».

Frida Leyina Voma