Centre to show youths where health traps lie |09 May 2005

When they contract the infections, some seek treatment at the Youth Health Centre and request for confidentiality which they get.

But as cases of youths who are putting their health at risk increase, the centre now hopes to mount a sensitisation campaign to advise the young people what kind of behaviour they must not get involved in, so as to stay healthy.

The new coordinator of the centre Julia Dingwall said this last week, and announced that the campaign will begin on May 11 when the crusade will be officially launched.

"On May 12 there will be a workshop at the centre to which youths from all over Mahe have been invited," she said.

She said experts from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs will advise the participants what kind of situations land them into activities where boys and girls meet, and later emerge with teenage pregnancy or the infections.

"We offer those who are infected counselling, after which we may inform the parents if the youths agree," she said.

She nevertheless said that when HIV tests prove positive, the centre maintains strict confidentiality as required by prevailing laws.