The National AIDS Council (NAC) says new HIV infections continue to increase among adolescent girls and young women while they are going down in other groups.

Addressing female learners at the commemorations of the International Day of the Girl Child on Tuesday, NAC Bulawayo Provincial AIDS Manager, Sinatra Nyathi said:

Imagine, in all age groups HIV is going down but adolescent girls and young women are getting new infections.

We realise young girls attend vuzu parties, where unplanned pregnancies, HIV, STIs, and other diseases emerge.

As NAC, we are on the path to achieving epidemic control, but we must also prevent further HIV spread.

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However, new infections continue to be identified, with adolescent girls and young women being disproportionately affected.

Nyathi urged young girls to practice abstinence as it is important in HIV prevention. She said:

You can’t sell your life over that red box of chips yet you can be a Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) girl who is educated and empowered and buy as many of those red boxes as you want.

We can abstain from sex, it’s not necessary to destroy your life. Even if you have started indulging in sexual activity as NAC we have what we call secondary abstinence where someone realises that they are not going anywhere with having sex.

You need to stop having it today and start planning for the future because you will start dying prematurely.

We want girls to take over but girls cannot take over because of the decisions they make. You can still abstain from sex and plan your life.

I always thank God that I didn’t destroy my life over five minutes’ activity of risky sexual behaviours.

She also urged girls to use the internet wisely and avoid visiting pornography websites as this may lure them into engaging in sexual activities and risk contracting HIV and STIs. | CITE