By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The young people comprising almost 25 percent of the country’s population are at a high risk of contracting HIV infection.
According to the National Aids Control Society (NACO), these youth account for 31 percent of the HIV burden which indicates that they are more vulnerable to SexuallyTransmitted Infections (STIs) than adults of whom girls are more than boys.
The young women are more vulnerable to HIV infection than young men, a situation aggravated by lack of access to information on HIV and even lesser power to exercise control over their sexual desires.
Almost 73 percent of the young people have misconceptions about modes of HIV transmission putting the young people in high risks.
In tune to this problem, a one day refresher training for the NSS and the Red Ribbon Club Nodal Officers and Sensitization of Principals of the 33 Red Ribbon Clubs on HIV/AIDS organised by the Meghalaya Aid Control Society was held at Don Bosco Youth Centre here on Tuesday.
This training programme aims at imparting comprehensive awareness and knowledge on HIV among school and college going youth besides to dispel any misconceptions about HIV/ AIDS, increase risk perception of youth to HIV, increased voluntary blood donation and others.
“With the statistic in display, a need was felt to create awareness among the youth who are vulnerable to HIV infection as these are the future of our society and protecting them from getting infected is our top most priority”, a source from the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society told reporters here on Tuesday.
In the state, a focused effort in reaching out to youth who are in educational institutions has been done through formation of Red Ribbon Clubs (RRCs) in 29 colleges, 2 universities, 1 Nehru Yuva Kendra and 1 Youth Club, making it a total of 33 RRCs in the state.