Gebre
Pat Roxborough, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE Government will target Jamaican men in its efforts to stamp out the deadly HIV/AIDS virus during a campaign which begins today and culminates on December 1 - World AIDS Day.
Under the theme "AIDS: Men Make a Difference", the campaign, which is being staged by the Government's National HIV/STD Prevention and Control Programme, will target men for four reasons, according to Programme Director Dr. Ytardes Gebre.
"Men have poor health-seeking behaviour, high risk-taking behaviour and practice, responsibility in the family and a role to play to mitigate the epidemic," Dr. Gebre said in a communiqué to the island's medical health officers. "In this regard, we are asking you to strengthen all activities involving men and ensure their participation in the control of HIV/AIDS in Jamaica."
"We have already written to several companies asking them to allow their male employees to participate in our plans for World AIDS Day," said Boris Bloomfield, communications officer for the parish of St. James, which has the highest number of AIDS cases in the country.
If Mr. Bloomfield gets the needed support, then come Friday Montego Bay, the capital of St. James, will see hundreds of men marching in a parade from Barnett Street, one of the city's busiest commercial belts, to Sam Sharpe Square.
