The focus on safe
sex among gay South Africans seems to be "dropping
off," according to Ivan Toms, executive director of
health services for Cape Town.
According to the
South African newspaper Cape Times, Toms said, "Young,
crazy people are starting to play young, crazy risk
games."
He attributed
this "scary change" of an increased taking of sexual
risks--especially among younger men--to their thinking that
AIDS is a chronic disease that could be managed with
medication.
Toms quoted two
sources of HIV data that put the total number of people
living with HIV in South Africa in 2005 between 5.2 million
and 5.5 million. The HIV prevalence rate among the
adult population, ages 15 to 49, was between 18% and
19%.
"Clearly, we have
a huge issue that needs a bigger, faster response.
Ultimately, we're not on top of the problem," Toms said.
(The Advocate)