The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) launched a new partnership with the Swaziland Ministry of Education’s Schools Health Program to address HIV/AIDS and teenage pregnancies in schools.
In Swaziland, 15 percent of teens and adolescents age 15-24 are living with HIV. Most young people who become infected are also school-aged and many young women drop out because of pregnancy. To address this growing challenge, EGPAF partnered with the Ministry of Health’s adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Program (SRHU) to lead HIV/AIDS education and outreach programs in five high schools from both rural and urban areas.
Health workers host group discussions with teenagers about HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy and how both can negatively impact a student’s future job opportunities. Health workers also use the lessons as an opportunity to dispel some of the myths students have regarding HIV/AIDS infection. Ultimately, these sessions help health workers tailor intervention programs to meet the needs of Swazi youth.