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Does circumcision prevent HIV? Amos Okello,

Young Talk, April - May 2012

Many young talkers are asking questions about ARVs.

can only reduce the chances of getting HIV by only 60%.However it does not mean that circumcised boys/men can not get HIV. They can get HIV if they have unprotected sex with an infected person.

Ngora PS Safe male circumcision

ARVs & children

Pupils of Owere PS, Nebbi say: Avoid drinking alcohol. Stay safe.

ARVs stand for Antiretroviral drugs. ARVs help people with HIV to live longer healthier lives. About 1.2 million people in Uganda have HIV. Of these, 150,000 are children but only 26,000 children are on ARVs.

For Teachers
In this issue of Young Talk, Dr Sabrina Kitaka from Mulago Hospital and Dr Stephen Watiti from Mildmay answer your questions on ARVs. Why do we use ARVs?
Irene Kezi, Ikulwe PS, Mayuge asks: ARVs help the body of a person with HIV to stay strong so it can fight infections and illness. They reduce the number of HIV in the blood. This helps a person living with HIV live longer.

Does it mean that if you take ARVs without missing for many years you can get cured of HIV? Asara

Glady, Ediofe Girls PS, Arua

NO. ARVs DO NOT cure

HIV even after using them for a long time. They only improve on the health of a person with HIV. You will still test positive even after many years of taking ARVs.

Health, says: Support children who are living with HIV to accept their condition. Talk to their parents so that you know how to help the child. Stop other children from making children with HIV feel bad. Tell them that those children are just like any other person. Help those who want to disclose by planning with their parents or guardians for better ways of disclosure and good timing. Disclosure helps to reduce new infections.

Dr Zainab Akol, Ministry of

For Online STF Newsletters Visit

www.straighttalkfoundation.org

KEY MESSAGE: ARVs do not cure HIV but help a person with HIV stay strong.
Young Talk is for pupils in primary 5, 6 and 7

Young Talk, April - May 2012

ARVS protect babies from HIV

Apart from improving lives of people with HIV, ARVs can be used for other reasons as Dr Kitaka explains. Read on!
Atoo Susan, Lira PS, asks: Can a mother who is on ARVs produce a negative baby?
Yes, ARVs reduce the amount of virus in the blood of mothers who have HIV. This reduces the chances of the baby getting infected by the mother. When a mother gets tested, takes ARVs and feeds well, she can protect her unborn baby from getting HIV. Most children get HIV from mothers during pregnancy, child birth and breastfeeding. they will be advised on how to get babies who do not have HIV.

Masiko James, Walukuba PS, Jinja asks, Why do some people have swollen chics after taking ARVs?
Dear James, ARVS cause some changes or make some people feel bad when they start taking them. For example, they may get lheadache lDry mouth lSkin rash lDiarrhoea lHair loss lBad dreams lTired easily or feel sleepy

Dr. Sabrina Kitaka

Discuss with your doctor if you see any of these changes so that you are advised on what to do about them.

Young Talkers, encourage your parents, guardians and neighbours to visit a health centre and test for HIV before they get pregnant. This will stop more children from getting HIV. At the health centre,

Dr Watiti Stephen from Mildmay Centre says: You can reduce changes

caused by ARVs by eating food before you take your medicine, drinking a lot of water or juice.

Okot Bashir, Lower Nsooba PS, Kampala, says value yourself.

WHERE TO GO FOR TESTING

l Baylor l Government Health Centres l Youth Centre Gulu l Naguru Teenage Centre l Information Centres Aids l Uganda Cares l Kitgum Youth Centre

Many people do not know whether they have HIV or not. This is very dangerous. Test so you can start treatment early if you have HIV. If you do not have HIV, you will be advised on how to continue staying safe.

Get tested for HIV

After you have been talked to, you will be sent for a blood test.

At the health centre, you will be talked to.

If you have HIV, you can live longer:

Talk to a doctor to advise you on how to live Join a group of young people with HIV for help Go to the hospital whenever you do not feel well. Take your ARVs everyday. Sleep under a treated mosquito net to avoid malaria Drink clean boiled water to avoid infections Eat a balanced diet Delay sex untill you complete school Do exercises

If you think that you have HIV, ask your parent or guardian to take you to the health centre.

4 5
When all the tests are finished, you will be given ARVs. Some other people may be given only Septrin

If you have HIV, more tests will be done to see if you need ARVs. If you do not have HIV, you will be advised on how to continue staying safe

Young Talk, April - May 2012

PEP can save you from HIV

Sometimes, ARVs are given to people who have no HIV in order to protect them from the virus. For example if you are defiled or raped, and health workers who accidently pierce themselves while working on people with HIV and those who get accidents. This is called PEP. PEP prevents ONLY those without HIV from getting the virus. It is given to both boys and girls. PEP will only work if you take it within three days from the time you are raped, defiled or get an accident. The earlier you get PEP, the better. First get PEP before you report the case to police. PEP is found at all health centres and hospitals that have ARVs. If you are getting PEP, you will get ARVs for some time then they will be stopped. Girls will also be given medicine to prevent pregnancy.

When you start taking ARVs, do not stop

ARVs are taken by people with HIV every day for the rest of their life.

Young Talkers of Arua Hill PS are happy to be part of Young Talk

Accept your condition

Awekonimungu James, in charge, Pakwach health center 111 says: "Missing to take your medicine makes your body weak and more infections can attack you. Josephine Nabukenya Tumusiime was born with HIV. She is 18 years and says, "Sometimes I feel like not taking them, but I know I would be reducing years from my life. So, even if I vomit, I have no choice but to take my medicine as instructed by doctors. Do not feel bad about taking ARVs. They make you: l Look healthy l Grow to be an adult l to fall sick and miss Not school You can avoid missing your ARVs by: l Asking friends you trust to remind you to take your medicine at the right time. l Having an alarm clock or a watch to remind you. l Placing ARVs in a place where you always see them and can be reminded. If you have HIV, learn to live with it. Avoid self pity. Do not blame yourself or your parents. No parent wants their child to have HIV but because many people do not know if they have HIV, they end up infecting their children. Learn more about the virus and ways to live longer with it. Take your medicine as advised by the doctor. Avoid early sex.

SEPTRIN: Not everyone who has HIV is given ARVs. If

your body is still strong to fight infections, you will be given Septrin. Septrin protects the body from cough, malaria, diarrhoea, infections of the chest and reduces the chances of getting pneumonia. People on ARVs are also given septrin.

We received over kk150 letters from these schools. You win a football and netball

Arua Hill PS and Dadira PS, Busia.

STAR CHOOL S

4 Young Talk, April - May 2012

Dear

Young Talk

P.O.Box 22366 Kampala

s it true that the person suffering from sickle cells can not give birth? Apio Sarah, Lira PS That is not true. Sickle cell is a disease of blood which is passed on from parents to their children. A girl suffering from sickle cell will menstruate and can become pregnant if she has unprotected sex. A boy who has sickle cells can also make a girl pregnant.

have wounds on my mouth and they have failed to get cured, could it be HIV? Opolot Sam, Katakwi Township PS Sorry about that, how long have they taken? There are many causes of wounds in the mouth. See a health worker and show him/her the wounds so that they can give you treatment. The only way you can know if you have HIV is by having an HIV test. Remember you can not tell if you have HIV by using signs.

Avoid bad friends Young stars of Muagi Central PS, Kiboga

have missed my periods for two months now. My friends are telling me that I may be pregnant. Is it true? Deborah Adong, Layibi Central PS, Gulu Deborah, have you had unprotected sex with anyone? Your friends think so because pregnancy is a common cause of missed periods. If you have not had sex with anyone do not worry. Many young girls miss their periods because they are still developing and the menstruation period is not stable.

am 15 years old. I have bad smell and my friends do not want to be near me. What can I do? Kagwa M. Railway PS, Kampala At puberty most boys tend to sweat a lot because the sweat glands and hormones are very active. If you do not bath or wash your underpants, clothes or shave armpits they will start to smell. To avoid that bad smell, bathe at least two times a day and remember to wash your clothes and keep good hygiene. Ask people in your community for herbs like ebombo that can stop the smell.

here is a man who is my relative but he wants to have sex with me. Will I not be cursed by my relatives? Agatha Mary, Madibira PS, Busia Agatha, that is not right. Sex with a relative is a crime. It is called incest. You are also too young to have sex. Your relative may make you pregnant and that will be defilement. Do not be deceived by him. If he insists tell a trusted adult about it.

have a long penis and my friends tell me that I have had sex yet I am a virgin. Is it true that boys with long penis have had sex? Mugume Mike, Kashekye PS, Kabale Mike, it is not true. Some boys naturally have long penis and some have short ones, just like some people are tall and others are short, thin or fat. All types of penises are normal. Do not listen to what your friends are telling you. Feel good about yourself.

Cousellor Dr Sabrina Kitaka, Mulago Hospital and Magomu Stella, Centre for Transforming Generations, Ntinda and Mbulanyina Deborah

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Talk Foundation 4 Acacia Avenue, Kololo, P. O. Box 22366, Kampala, Tel: (031) 262030/1, Fax: 534858, E-mail: info@straighttalkfoundation.org, Executive Director: S. Ajok ; Editorial Manager: M. Akello, Editors: J. Abongowath, P. Kiwuuwa, F. Ouma, J. Nafula Chief Designer: M. Kalanzi, Designers: GB. Mukasa, GTuribamwe Printer: The New Vision. Young Talk is Funded by Civil Society Fund

We are very poor. My father is forcing me to get married to an old man so that he can get money from him. What can I do? AS, Patira PS. Nwoyaa

Send your advice to AS to PO Box 22366, Kampala. Best advice Wins Rulers