‘Drugs, AIDS major problem facing developing countries’

Sarath Malalasekera

Fighting the drug menace and AIDS is a major problem confronting developing countries. Drug addicts and AIDS victims tend to be a neglected lot in these countries, said Prof. Swarna Premaratne from the Lions Club of Pestum, Italy.

Prof. Premaratne was addressing the awards ceremony of the All Island Essay Contest on Drug Abuse and HIV/AIDS conducted for the 18th consecutive year by the Lions Clubs International - District 306 A2 with the assistance of Lions Club Dehiwela North held at the Global Tower Hotel recently.

Lion S. Ramachandran MJF was the District Chairperson for Prevention of Drug Abuse and HIV/AIDS.

“Recently conducted studies have shown the number of services is growing but the level of coverage in injecting drug users is very poor in many countries. The third fact is infection prevention steps like providing needles, condoms and substitute drugs known as “harm reduction” are seen by many experts as key to halting the spread of HIV and AIDS but some governments are reluctant to provide them for fear of being seen to condone drug use, Prof. Premaratne said.

She emphasised the poor economic conditions (leading to the use of dirty needles in healthcare clinics) and lack of sex education contribute to the high rate of infection. The web site is a valuable resource for care providers as well as parents and teens looking for information.

“Alcohol and drug use can interfere with judgement about sexual behaviour and thereby effect the likelihood of engaging in unplanned and unprotected sex. This increases the risk for contracting HIV from infected sex partners,” Prof. Premaratne said.

“The community planners, policy-makers, service providers and medical practitioners need to develop and implement programs to prevent spread of HIV and other infections among injecting and non injecting drug users,” she said.

Religion could have a tremendous influence in changing dynamics that respect the implicit, well known rules that men and women are constrained to follow because religion is a prime source of the creation and maintenance of broader cultural conversations about gender, sex, morality and power so “Be faithful” in whatever you believe.

Thanking the organisers of the essay contest led by Lion S. Ramachandran she said that the Lions Club of Pestum District 108 YA (Italy) are looking forward to assist the Sri Lankans Lions in the future.