HIV and AIDS Epidemic in Africa [Men who have sex with Men] MSM perspective

Sub- Saharan Africa is more heavily affected by HIV&AIDS than any other region of the world. Quoting from a reliable research, an estimated 24.5million people were living with HIV at the end of 2005 and approximately 2.7million additional people were infected with HIV during that year. In just the past year, the AIDS epidemic in Africa has claimed the lives of an estimated 2million people in this region. AIDS has orphaned more than 12million children.The extent of the AIDS crisis is only now becoming clear in many African countries as increasing numbers of people with HIV are becoming ill. In the absence of massively expanded prevention, treatment and care efforts, it is expected that the AIDS death toll in Sub-Saharan Africa will continue to rise. This implies that the impact of the AIDS epidemic on these societies will be felt most strongly in the course of the next ten years and beyond. It social and economic consequences are already widely felt, not only in the health sector but also in education, industry, agriculture, transport, human resources and economy in general.Despite the continuing impact of HIV&AIDS there are signs that awareness is waning among young people especially young men who have sex with other men (MSM). For instance, recent HIV/STI prevalence study targeted towards young MSM in Nigeria has shown decreasing awareness of HIV&AIDS among sexual minorities (MSM). The same pattern of increasing prevalence and decreasing awareness exist for STIs as a whole and many young people, mostly young gay men (or men who have sex with men as some identified) may under-estimate how likely they are to be exposed to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV&AIDS, young people do not believe that they are vulnerable to contracting them.The data on HIV infection among sexual minorities in Africa need both to expand (current) prevention work and to develop new strategies in a way that will address young MSM. It is important to do both, so that young gay men (MSM) have information about HIV&AIDS, how it affects them and do not forget messages about HIV&AIDS or start to think that they are no longer relevant to them. This is also important to meet the needs which arise as circumstances change over time. For instance, young gay men many need to get updated information about new testing arrangements in their area or new types of condoms. At the same time basic information need to be provided all the time because new gay men are beginning their sexual careers and may never have been reached with the information support and advice about HIV&AIDS or thought it was relevant to them.Effective and result-driven prevention work with young gay men (MSM) has the same basic elements as prevention work with any group or community. It involves;• Raising awareness about HIV/AIDS, challenging myths and assumption and reducing stigma by providing people with accurate, up-to-date information and opportunities to clarify their attitudes and values.• Providing opportunities for people to develop their personal and social skills in order to enable and empower them to make decision and carry them through in terms of protecting and promoting their sexual health.• Providing accessible and appropriate sexual health services and advice including access to condoms.• Providing access to treatment and care.Finally, it is advisable that organizations working in the area of HIV&AIDS target young MSM in their prevention work henceforth. This is mostly important to many of the organization in African countries who have through culture and religion marginalize this particular group of sexual minorities and have prevented them from acquiring necessary information about HIV&AIDS.