Iswandy Ahmad, who is attending a HIV seminar in Laos. Picture: BT file
TWO members of the Brunei Darussalam Aids Council (BDAC) jetted off to Laos yesterday to attend a seminar on HIV infection, hoping to return with ideas on how best to increase awareness in Brunei.
Iswandy Ahmad, who is attending the “Youth who are at risk of HIV infection” conference said that he hopes to gain some ideas from the more experienced agencies that will be present, on how to increase HIV awareness among the 20-29 age group.
“It’s easy to target teenagers because we can go to schools, but to get the young adults who are working is a challenge,” he told The Brunei Times before leaving for the seminar.
Iswandy explained that most of the 11 new HIV cases recorded last year were young adults.
Joining Iswandy in Laos is Head Secretary of the BDAC Youth Club, Siti Nur Bazilah Hj Bujang, who said that she hopes to get more ideas on activities to promote HIV awareness in the country.
“We have to think of new ways to get teenagers aware of the risk of HIV and Aids but making the activities fun, suitable and not offensive, since it’s already difficult to get school to allow us to come and talk to the kids,” she said.
Another area Siti Nur Bazilah said she would like explore is to target younger children.
“In Singapore, they have HIV awareness programmed for under 12, which works. The sooner the kids know about HIV the better, and it’s ingrained into their minds,” she explained.
“I’d also like to look at targeting those in uniform such as soldiers and police. We want to to target all the different demographics. Young kids are important and their parents too, since the parents will hopefully pass on their knowledge to their children.”
Iswandy explained that BDAC had a more local approach to stopping the spread of HIV in Brunei, as opposed to the international standard of HIV prevention, which is the promotion of ABC – Abstinence, Be Faithful, and Condoms.
“ABC only targets behaviour. BDAC has in addition, DEF. That is Don’t do drugs, don’t get drunk as it impairs your judgement; Education and empowerment; and Family and friends. This last one is where we incorporate a lot of Islamic and societal values,” explained Iswandy.
“We have to adapt to the society around us. What works in other countries may not necessarily work here.”
The Brunei Times
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