High HIV Prevalence Among Sex Workers In Swaziland

via observer.org.sz, by Winile Mavuso

UNADJUSTED HIV prevalence among sex workers stands at 70.3%.

This is contained in the Swaziland HIV Bio-Behavioral Surveillance Study and Qualitative Study among Most At-Risk Populations (MARPS) conducted by the Population Service International (PSI) in conjunction with the John Hopkins University based in the United States.

The findings of the study were released by Director of Health Services, Dr. Simon Zwane at Mountain Inn yesterday.

It was observed that around the world, men who have sex with men (MSM) and female sex workers have a higher risk of HIV infection than the general population. Until now, little had been known about HIV prevalence or risk factors among these population groups in the country, hence the study was commissioned.

The study shows that HIV prevalence increased with age, with older sex workers having higher rates of HIV.

However, even the youngest group of sex workers had an HIV prevalence rate of 44%. Sex workers were more likely to be HIV infected if they were older, had lower education, married, or were ever pregnant.
Just 4% of sex workers had active syphilis.

Despite the high HIV prevalence among this group, some clients are still daring and sleep with sex workers without a condom.

Out of the 325 sex workers who participated in the study only 23.5% reported always using condoms with all partners in the past month.

More than half (55.3%) reported condom breakage/slippage in the past month. About 74% reported always using condoms with new clients in the past month.

However, condoms were used less often with regular clients and non-commercial partners; 48.2% reported always using a condom in the past month with regular clients and 33.5% reported always using a condom in the past month with non-commercial partners. 

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SWAZILAND: HIV prevalence among factory workers "50 percent"

Via PlusNews.

A new government study has found that more than half of workers in Swaziland’s garment industry are living with HIV, and officials are realizing that the once-hailed promise of manufacturing employment has become a financial and medical nightmare for tens of thousands of Swazi women.

“HIV prevalence among factory workers is 50.3 percent,” said Nhlanhla Nhlabatsi, an epidemiologist with the Ministry of Health. Nhlabatsi presented the data last week as preliminary findings for Swaziland’s first Behaviour Sentinel Surveillance Report to be released in its entirety later in the year.

About 30,000 Swazis, mostly women, are employed in garment factories financed by Taiwanese investors and operated by managers from mainland China.

The survey also found that most factory workers were well informed about HIV/AIDS, and 90 percent of workers interviewed were aware of the female condom and other methods of preventing HIV.

Government officials will now begin investigating the gap between knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention and workers’ susceptibility to HIV. The prevalence rate for textile industry employees is significantly higher than the 26 percent rate among sexually active adult Swazis.

“Women comprise the largest number of workers at the garment industry plants. They work long hours at wages so low some of them are known to turn to prostitution to support themselves and their families,” said Alicia Simelane, an HIV testing and counselling officer at the Matsapha Industrial Estate, where Swaziland’s industry is concentrated outside the commercial hub of Manzini.

The link between “sweatshop” wages and the risk of HIV has been known for years, but the statistical impact of the risk is only becoming apparent now.

Read the rest here.

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