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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which causes the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was first discovered in the early 1980s. it has spread more rapidly than most diseases in recent history, having social cultural, economical and moral repercussions on individuals, families, communities and threatening foundations of entire societies. Over the years, the link between HIV/AIDS and impoverishment has grown and even stronger as the diseases is infecting and affecting the younger generation who are the productive labour force of every economy. HIV infections are spreading quickly within the youth populations and what happens to them today will determine what becomes of them and their communities in the future. An estimated 11.8 million young people aged 15-24 are living with HIV/AIDS, and half of all new infections, over 6,000 daily, are occurring among them. (The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS, 2003.)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified HIV/AIDS as one of the world’s first health emergency and an urgent threat to global public health. It reveals that HIV/AIDS is the worlds’ second widely spread communicable disease and the sixth common cause of death globally. (WHO, 2004) In international circles in recent years, it has received as much attention as other pressing global questions like war, terrorism, environmental degradation among others. According UNAIDS (2006), about 65 million people have been affected and more than 25 million people have died of AIDS related causes. The situation is made even gloomier, with 29 million new infections estimated by 2020 if prevention and treatment are not accelerated.

The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) report for 2006, states that several countries report success in reducing HIV infections.

However, the overall infection rate is on the rise. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains the highest affected region. The WHO (2004) has classified HIV/AIDS as the main cause of adult mortality in Africa. It affirms that about 3.1% and 3.9% of all male and female deaths respectively are caused by AIDS related diseases. In the same vein, UNAIDS (2006) fact sheet states that 63% of the global HIV/AIDS infections are in Africa, South of the Sahara with the prevalence rate highest among the age group 15-49 years. It is for which reason African heads of states declared AIDS as a state of emergency in the continent during the African Development Forum (2000).

UNAIDS/WHO (2007) estimate the number of persons living with HIV worldwide is 33.2 million. Deaths related to HIV/AIDS declined from 2.2 million in 2005 to 2.0 million in 2007. However, the number of new infections rose to 2.5 times higher than the number of infected persons receiving treatment (UNAIDS, 2008). Rather than being complacent, this underscores the need for countries to increase their commitment to prevention efforts. This is necessary if this pandemic must start reversal in order to meet the 2015 target by the MDGs and to save humanity from an impending scourge.

The WHO (2005) observes that young people in Nigeria are highly affected. Indeed, a third of Nigerians infected are 18-35 years of age. This age group constitutes all Nigerians who are in secondary school, high school, University, vocational schools, professional schools and those in active service. Mbanya, Martyn & Paul (2008) stated  the socio-economic impact of the disease is profound with growing numbers of sections being affected, and high hospital bed occupancy rampant. They add that this results in overstretched medical personnel and extra burden to the health and education sectors where school teachers are reported to be unproductive on several counts and morbidity increasing from opportunistic infections. This of course, poses a major challenge to the socio

-economic development of the country considering the fact that the age group below 18 makes up about 42% of the entire population (Population Reference Bureau, 2009).

Health Education is not a recent inclusion in the school system. A look through the curricular development in Nigerian Education reveals the various ways in which health related issues has been treated. Attempts to introduce population and family life education into both formal and informal sector of Nigerian education could be traced back to 1980’s. By 1985, reproductive health education has been integrated into some school subjects like Biology, Integrated Science, Physical and Health Education, Home Economics, Religious and Moral Education at both the Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) levels. As a result of globalisation many things are wrong with our social life styles. One of the effects of the bad social life of our people is the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Despite the various attempt to mould the life of our people on sexual matters and moderate their behaviour through the use of condoms in preventing HIV/AIDS, not much success have been attained. Olusola Adara,”Seminar on HIV/AIDS Curriculum Development” (2003).

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