‘Boiling urine will not cure HIV’

THERE are people who believe that boiling their own urine and drinking it hot would cure HIV while others will try nonni juice, zango or eating hot peppers. Other myths include having sex in the sea to prevent HIV transmission and some men believe having sex with a virgin would cure them of the virus.

These were some of the myths told to health visitors of the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) when they visited communities.
To mark this year’s observance of World AIDS Day which has as its focus “Women, Girls, HIV and AIDS,” the NWRHA through its Health Services consultant, Aileen Clarke is advising women and girls to be aware of the myths associated with HIV. In a release, Clarke said AIDS is becoming an increasingly female affair. She said the increasing female susceptibility to the disease reflects their greater biological vulnerability and the consequences of the social constructs of male and female sexuality steeped in the profound inequalities that characterise many heterosexual relationships.

Clarke said statistics from the National Surveillance Unit of the Health Ministry, showed there are more than 8,000 cumulative cases of AIDS in the east-west corridor (counties of St George West, East and Central). Health facilities in these areas are under the purview of the NWRHA. “Over 3,000 of these reported cases were women,” Clarke said. The World Health Organisation’s “Gender and Health Technical Paper” has stated that the risk of HIV infection during unprotected vaginal intercourse is two to four times higher for women. The reasons for this are: women are receptive partners during sex; women who have unprotected sex immediately after their menstrual flow are vulnerable to the virus because the lining of the womb has been shed making it easier for the virus to penetrate the womb; semen contains a higher concentration of HIV than vaginal secretions; and semen can stay in the vagina hours after intercourse.  

Clarke said women are more likely than men to have other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) which increase the risk of HIV-infections by three to four times. Fifty to 80 percent of STIs in women have no symptoms or symptoms that are not easily recognised. “Traditionally speaking, men are usually the dominant factor in a relationship and sometimes women may find it difficult to make decisions concerning their own sexual activities and preferences including the right to use protective means such as condoms.” Clarke said women have to endure harmful traditional sexual practices such as having dry sex (the vagina is dry before having sex). Other factors which put women at risk are engaging in commercial sexual activity to earn money and having partners with other women.

The NWRHA offers voluntary counselling and testing at the Queen’s Park Counselling Centre, NWRHA Health Centres, Mt Hope Women’s Hospital and Port-of-Spain General Hospital Maternity Unit. Clarke said special care is available to HIV-positive mothers including education, nutrition and managing other infections. Nutritional therapy is offered for infants up to the age of six months who were exposed to HIV. “Mothers are referred to the Medical Research Centre for follow-up care and treatment and their partners are also tested and referred if necessary. Our clients are also referred to support groups. HIV-exposed infants are referred to the Paediatric Unit for follow-up care and treatment.” Clarke said pregnant mothers could visit the NWRHA’s health centres and she assured that the treatment given would be highly confidential.