Youths gather for AIDS forum

Wednesday is World Aids Day and today the National Aids Commission held a youth forum as part of the activities surrounding that observance. High school students listened to their colleagues speak on the issue of HIV and AIDS and also heard from Errol Fairweather, one of many Belizeans living with the disease. According to public relations officer at the National Aids Commission, Arreini Palacio Morgan, considering what is happening to the country’s young population, they felt compelled to hold the event.

Arreini Palacio Morgan, P.R. Officer, NAC

?We noticed that at the National Aids Commission that the rate of infection of HIV/AIDS ahs tripled has doubled and it?s very concerning. Children as young as ten are being infected and it?s affecting our workforce, our child bearing force and so on. So we decided to have a youth forum, but better to speak to youth than youth. So we have three dynamic youths come out and they will be presenting to other youths and we are hoping that the information goes back to the high schools to other children, to outer school youths and to pass on the message of HIV/AIDS in order to lower the infection rate.?

Jacqueline Woods

?Tomorrow we will be celebrating World Aids Day; what will be taking place??

Arreini Palacio Morgan

?In the morning we will have the opening of a library corner at the Thurton Library on Princess Margaret Drive. In the afternoon at three-thirty, we will have the annual Aids walk, which starts at the Constitution Park and ends at the Memorial Park where they are having the World Aids ceremony and the presentation of awards. So it should be very good.?

Part of today’s forum included a panel discussion that was conducted by epidemiologist Doctor Paul Edwards.