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Government using the ABC method to reduce HIV in Timor-Leste
Dili Weekly - October 20, 2016
The ABC (abstinence, being faithful and condom use) method is part of a global public health strategy aimed at preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, however, the Timor-Leste government's position is that self-control rather than condom use is the most effective approach for the wider community.
If left untreated HIV eventually progresses to AIDS, a condition which kills many people around the world each year.
The Ministry of Health said it is continuing to raise awareness about the importance of using condoms to at-risk groups, including prostitutes and their clients, as well as the men who have sex with men and the transgender community.
Program Manager for HIV/AIDS Dr Frederico Bosco said the Timor-Leste government was using this approach to specifically target at-risk groups only. "Our target is the risk groups, not the community in general," he said by phone.
He said the government's position reflected the stance taken by the Catholic Church, which is opposed to the use of contraception, including condoms. "The religious side recommends we use self-control and not condoms," he said.
As part of efforts to raise awareness, he said the government had been doing advocacy work in communities, especially at-risk groups, to provide people with a better understanding about how they could protect themselves against the disease.
For the community in general, he said condom use was substituted with self-control to discourage promiscuous behavior as this went against the teachings of the Catholic Church.
He added there were seven anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment centers in the country, including the referral hospitals in Maliana, Maubisse, Suai and Oecusse), as well as the National Hospital and Bairo-Pite Clinic (BPC) in Dili. "So for those who are HIV positive, they can get treatment at those centers," he said.
According to data from the Ministry of Health 570 Timorese people were infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) between 2003 and March 2016.
Meanwhile, World Health Organization (WHO) Medical Officer, Epidemiology, Dr Arun Mallik said the ABC approach involved delaying sex until after marriage, being faithful to your partner and using a condom to protect oneself if having sexual relations outside of marriage.
Speaking at a meeting with journalists about communicable disease at the WHO office in Dili, Dr Mallik said it was important that people were aware about the importance of using condoms correctly and consistently.
He also called for HIV/AIDS education to be included in the school curriculum to equip students with a good knowledge and understanding about the virus.
Although the Ministry of Education has added sexual health as a subject in the national curriculum, it had not yet started as many teachers felt uncomfortable with the topic.
"Many teachers are not ready and feel shy to talk about sexual health education to students," said Deputy Minister for Education Dulce de Jesus Soares.
She said the subject would be taught from first grade up until the high school, with instruction to be based on students' ages and level of understanding.
"We need to teach comprehensive sexual education about human development, disease prevention, ability for decision-making, protection and positive and healthy relations," she said.
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