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Zim government says students fuelling AIDS
ZimOnline
December 05, 2006

http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=575

BULAWAYO - Zimbabwe Health Minister David Parirenyatwa has accused students at the country's universities and other tertiary colleges of fuelling the HIV/AIDS pandemic through promiscuous behaviour.

Addressing delegates at a function to mark World AIDS Day in Bulawayo at the weekend, Parirenyatwa said he was disappointed by the risky behaviour of students at tertiary institutions.

"I am very disappointed about the youth programmes particularly in universities and in our colleges. The consciousness, the awareness and the behaviour there need to be revisited," he said.

Parirenyatwa said although Zimbabwe had managed to reduce the HIV prevalence rate from 30.1 percent in 1999 to 18.1 percent in 2006 among the 15-41 year age group, more still needed to be done to address risky behaviour by students at colleges.

But on Monday, student leaders hit back accusing President Robert Mugabe's government of pushing students into prostitution through its skewed economic policies.

"Students are engaging in these (promiscuous) activities because the government has neglected them.

"The current economic crisis is pushing students into destitution and prostitution and government should shoulder most of the blame," said Paul Sixpence, an executive member of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU).

Zimbabwe is among countries with the highest HIV/AIDS infections in sub-Saharan Africa with at least 3 000 people dying of the disease every week.

An unprecedented seven-year old economic collapse that has seen inflation hitting over 1 000 percent has forced the government to cut down funding at state universities forcing thousands of students to resort to prostitution to make ends meet. - ZimOnline

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