Safe sex and Testing Association to fight AIDS

THE EDITOR: The recently launched Association is now registered to use the name Super Safe Sex and Testing Association (Limited) which when abbreviated is pronounced, “STALL”. It is not as yet registered as a company hence the reason I have placed the word, “Limited”, in brackets. The following points ensure that no rules or regulations are left out by the media when informing the public about the Association’s concept so that no misconceptions will take place in the minds of citizens that the Association cares so deeply for.

THE VISION
The vision is to minimise the spread of HIV. We hope that the Association will grow and be equipped enough to protect the population from contracting HIV, and so prevent the HIV positive population from increasing. This will be done by maximising use of (1) condoms, (2) HIV testing, (3) availability of test results to sex partners. The Association believes that monogamy and abstinence are the best solutions to the pandemic. However, new cases of HIV are still on the increase every day. One thousand seven hundred and eighteen (1,718) new cases were reported last year, 74 percent of them were women between the ages of 15 and 24, according to a Sunday 15 Newsday article. Therefore, additional but not alternative methods are necessary to help fight the HIV pandemic.

It must be noted that monogamy, use of condoms, and testing have saved many lives and will continue to save many lives in the future. These practices with the addition of our concept will save even more. The name of the Association “Super Safe Sex and Testing Association”, is meant to imply safe sex, meaning condom use; and testing meaning bi-monthly testing; and super, meaning the synergistic effect of the two preventative methods. Both condom use and bi-monthly testing must occur together for the purpose of minimising risks. It is said that condom use is 99 percent safe and in addition to bi-monthly testing the safety will increase even more to almost 100 percent. It must be noted that this is an additional method of precaution, and not an alternative, substitute or replacement for use of condoms.
Hi-5 Protection Card (representing bi-monthly negative results)

An identification card is given to members of SSSTAL once they have been tested negative for HIV. The date of last negative result is placed on the card along with an expiry date implying the next date due for bi-monthly testing. The card will be updated every two months only if a new HIV negative result is obtained. It is the date of the last negative result that is of importance, and not the card itself. One’s last negative result must be no more than two months ago for card to be still valid.

What about the Window Period?
The window period is the period from contraction to when the number of HIV anti bodies are high enough to be detected. This period, according to experts lasts approximately three months. It must be noted and stressed that during those three months the HIV anti bodies are too low in numbers to be detected by an HIV test. During this period the HIV virus can still be transmitted. This implies that an infected person may produce a false negative result for the first and second tests after contracting the virus, but the virus should be detected by the third test, seeing that the window period is three months.

This further implies that it could take up to four months to be detected by bi-monthly testing. This is why condom use is promoted and sexual promiscuity is discouraged even if one acquires a new HIV negative result, and has been allowed to update his/her card. The aim of the bi-monthly testing is as soon as HIV anti bodies are high enough in number to be detected by an HIV test (that is after the window period) the individual will know as soon as possible if he/she is HIV positive and be able to take appropriate steps to not infect a sexual partner.

Rules and Regulations
A member of SSSTAL must keen the Hi-5 Card on them at all times. The Card is only to be shown prior to sexual interaction. The card is to be shown for no other reason, and at no other time, implying that a SSSTAL member cannot be identified by anyone other than their sexual partner, thus preventing discrimination and ensuring the anonymity of one’s HIV status. All would be SSSTAL members should be enrolled with their sexual partners and not come looking for a partner, in order to (1) maximise fidelity (2) maximise numbers of persons in the population being tested bi-monthly, and (3) minimise the odds of sexual interaction with untested individuals whose HIV status is unsure.
Members should encourage all interested friends to get tested and join for their own safety.

Our intention is not to create panic or discrimination against HIV positive individuals but merely to increase or to heighten the measure of control used to curb the number of cases of HIV infections occurring in the population. What happens in the case of infection? In case one becomes infected with HIV (by having unprotected sex with HIV positive individuals), the card will not be renewed, and is therefore no longer valid since it will now be expired. The individual will be no longer a member of SSSTAL, but will be immediately referred to another organisation, such as Friends for Life to receive (I) counselling and (ii) membership.

SSSTAL is eager to work in conjunction with HIV positive associations and support groups since we believe that social interaction and cooperation is very possible without any fear.
In fact, we believe by reducing the phobia of HIV, we will
(i) reduce the ignorance of the disease and how it is spread, and
(ii) ultimately reduce the occurrence of it.
We also believe that HIV positive associations can synergistically work with us in harmony to minimise the spread of HIV faster than we can by ourselves. We are also against any social misconduct or behaviour that ostracise, scorn, or treat HIV positive individuals unfairly. We will fight to remove taboos and stigmas attached to those with the disease, which make their lives even harder and almost impossible to rise above their challenge.

This is a humanitarian effort but members are expected to contribute a membership fee of $100 a year and $40 monthly, for the establishment of an office with a telephone, administrative workers, and payment of large staff (some of which would be working outdoors or out in the field marketing the concept). All this is necessary to efficiently manage the Association. When the Association is established we intend to donate a certain percentage of the money made to Friends for Life, which is an HIV Positive Support Group, and towards AIDS education.

Disclaimer
The SSSTAL Association again advises that the use of condoms be continued with bi-monthly testing, and finally SSSTAL will not be held responsible for any infection of the HIV virus and any other sexually transmitted diseases. SSSTAL will like to request any assistance available such as venues for meetings when necessary, and in particular office space.

NIGER LOWHAR
Port-of-Spain