Guidelines for Prevention, Management of HIV/AIDS and Teenage/Unintended Pregnancy in School-settings of Uganda

Abstract

Uganda's population is predominantly young with 58 per cent of the total population below the age of 18 years, while young adults (18 to 24 years) account for 11 per cent (UDHS,2013). Both the children and adolescents are of school-going and hence spend about 80% of their active time at school. Adolescents experience many reproductive health challenges such as teenage/unintended pregnancies, STUSTDs and HIV/AIDS. Teenage pregnancy (pregnancy in girls below the age of 20) remains a great challenge. In Uganda, 24% of teenagers start child- bearing at the age of 17 (AIS 2011). Teenage pregnancy can lead to school drop-out and loss of education and lack of acquisition of productive or employable skills. This in turn leads to low productivity which in the long-term contributes to poverty. According to the UNAIDS (2013) HIV/AIDS prevalence rate among Ugandans aged 15 to 49 years is 7.4%, while children aged 0 to 14 years living with HIV/AIDS are nearly 190,000 and adults aged 15 and above living with HIV/AIDS were estimated at 1,400,000 out of a population of 1,600,000 living with HIV/AIDS. FAWE 2011 Statistics survey indicates that, 35% of teenage girls arse either pregnant or have already had their first child. Schools have, as a consequence, been faced with a precarious situation of supporting the adolescents to overcome health challenges like teenage/unintended pregnancies and HIV/AIDS. In this regard the Ministry of Education, Science, technology and Sports (MOESTS) has developed guidelines for prevention and management of HIV and teenage/unintended pregnancy in school settings. The guidelines have been drawn from the various regulations, policies and other guidelines that support the growth, development and wellbeing of children and adolescents which include the following: 1) Adolescent Health policy Guidelines and Service Standards 2) Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards 3) Child Protection Policy 4) Gender in education policy 5) HIV Prevention Strategic Plan 2011-2015 6) HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Act 7) HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy 8) National Policy Guidelines on HIV/AIDS 9) National Health policy (2010) 10) National Youth Policy of Uganda 11) Orphans and Vulnerable Children's (OVC) policy 12) Natural School Health Policy 13) School Rules and Regulations 14) Teachers' code of conduct 15) UN convention on the rights of the child 16) Violence Against Children (VAC) national guidelines These guidelines offer a framework for concerted and collective action in influencing environments for effective prevention and management of HIV/AIDS and teenage / unintended pregnancy in school settings. Behavioral and environment interventions should jointly result in orderly reduction in the occurrences and end in mitigation of HIV/AIDS and teenage/unintended pregnancy in school settings across Uganda. The guidelines highlight ways to address HIV/AIDS and teenage/unintended pregnancy in school settings. The guidelines are stratified for upper-primary, secondary and tertiary school levels against the prevention and management of the issues.