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Education lowers refugee AIDS rates

    JOHANNESBURG

    A drop in HIV infection rates among African refugees was the result of intensive AIDS education and changed sexual behaviour, the UN refugee agency UNHCR has said.

    Speaking at a recent workshop in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, UNHCR expert on HIV/AIDS, Dr Patterson Njogu, said: "The number of condoms being used in refugee camps has increased dramatically. At one time you could not talk about condoms in the camps. Now condoms are very much in demand."

    Njogu said the number of sex partners decreased significantly, as had the incidence of transactional sex.

    While refugees were at greater risk of HIV infection – because of rape during conflicts, disrupted health care and the trading of sex for food - this did not necessarily translate into higher infection rates, UNHCR added.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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