We can no longer afford to have unprotected sex as it is no longer impossible nor has it ever been for being infected by HIV. Walter Gillgower, National HIV Policy Network

Recent surveys published by the Health Protection Agency and National AIDS Trust have revealed HIV to be the fastest growing sexually transmitted disease among young people, but especially among young Africans living in the UK.

The research has raised serious concerns over the increase in HIV among African communities, with the main cause of the spread being blamed on a lack of knowledge about HIV. A recent survey by The Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed that 89 percent of young people between the ages of 16 to 24 never think about HIV before making decisions about having sex.

Walter Gillgower, Project Manager of the National African Prevention Programme run by the African HIV Policy Network (AHPN), also agreed that: “A lack of awareness of how HIV is transmitted is one of the main causes for the rise of HIV within young black communities…they don’t understand that they are at risk of being infected by HIV.”

He told Black Britain that the high rate of teenage pregnancies coupled with sexually transmitted diseases among African communities demonstrates widespread unprotected sex which is why HIV which is the most common sexually transmitted disease among young people, according to the Health Protection Agency.

The increase of HIV within UK African communities has raised the question as to what measures the government is taking to reduce the spread of HIV among the young black population. Gillgower told Black Britain that establishing the National African Prevention programme is part of the government’s strategy to deal with the problem: “There are a lot of teenage services, pregnancy services and PCT as well as sexual health clinics for young people. However, there is not far from enough proper services for young people,” he said.

Other strategies include the government run Condoms Essential Awareness Company to promote the importance of wearing a condom to young people, especially for young black people who are shown to be most at risk. But the absence of a condom is not the only reason the disease is spreading. Katherine Sladden from the National Aids Trust explained: “The government have funded organisations to tackle this problem but have used the wrong methods such as setting up sexual education campaigns for young people and African communities but haven’t devised a way of joining the two groups as one.”

She continued: “It is not just heterosexual unprotected [sex that is] causing the rise of HIV within young black communities as there are complex situations, [such as] a drug user having sex with their partner or a drug user who is low resulting in having unprotected sex. There is also a lack of education on gay relationships within schools.”

The lack of education along with many other factors has resulted in 1,200 young people under 18 being infected by HIV in the UK. A survey carried out by the National Aids Trust showed that only 51 per- cent of young people who have had a new sexual partner in the last two years always wears a condom. This now highlights that 49 per-cent of these young people are at risk of being infected by HIV along with other STI’s.

Commenting on the spread of HIV within the African community, Gillgower told Black Britain: “We can no longer afford to have unprotected sex as it is no longer impossible nor has it ever been for being infected by HIV. HIV changes your life once contracted. Wearing condoms should be part of your [routine] just as normal as if you were to pick up your Ipod or Ipod nano before leaving your house.”

Even though young people who have contracted the virus are able to live long healthy lives due to medication and support, there are also psychological problems associated with HIV. Gillgower told Black Britain that some of the problems young black people may face if they catch the virus are discrimination, isolation, depression and stigma as well as causing disruption between their families.