Dili, July 10, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The National Institute for Combating AIDS (INSIDA), in collaboration with local authorities in Vera-Cruz Administrative Post, Lahane Village, conducted an awareness-raising training for the community on HIV-AIDS prevention. This activity was held on Tuesday this week.
INSIDA President Daniel Marçal stated that the seminar aimed to increase the community and youths’ knowledge and awareness to ensure their health and prevent HIV, emphasizing that communities and young people are the future of the nation.
“We see the problem of HIV-AIDS as a major challenge for prevention, and according to data, the current approach has not been beneficial for us. Timor-Leste understands that HIV is a serious threat, easy to spread, and we lack adequate treatment and preventive measures to fight this disease. We face difficulties in implementing effective prevention, especially since many productive young people in our villages and municipalities are affected. This problem is not simply about personal preference or curiosity, young people often experiment without understanding the risks, which can lead to them canceling their future hopes and dreams,” said INSIDA President Daniel Marçal.
He further urged leaders to take this issue seriously and speak openly with young people, noting that one of the main transmission routes is unprotected sex. He warned that early marriage, alcohol consumption, and the lack of proper planning between men and women about sexual relationships can lead to significant issues, especially when those relationships occur with people they do not know well.
“Today, more people are contracting HIV due to sexual desire, this is one of the biggest problems we face. We must continue to raise awareness to help people regulate their thinking and avoid engaging in harmful behaviors that we know can have long-term impacts on their lives,” emphasized President Marçal.
He explained that HIV-AIDS is a very difficult virus to cure, especially once it progresses from HIV to AIDS, as it poses a serious threat to a person’s life. Therefore, he urged the entire community to prevent infection, as a single day could change a life just as it has in other countries.
On the other hand, the Chief of Lahane Village, Romano Natercia Rodrigues Pereira, stated that the awareness activity by INSIDA was very beneficial in controlling the spread of HIV-AIDS. As a local authority, he supports the initiative while also emphasizing that health issues are private matters that should be handled with confidentiality, even though the community may need to be informed when someone is affected.
“As a leader, I cannot publicly disclose someone’s health status because it is confidential. However, our Timorese culture is unique, and we must avoid discriminating against others or violating their dignity. This training helps the community understand that some residents in Lahane Ocidental have already been affected by the HIV-AIDS virus,” said Chief Romano Natercia Rodrigues Pereira.
He added that it is important for youth to avoid casual relationships and early marriage, especially without taking responsibility, as it can lead to problems that affect the lives of children in the future. Therefore, she urged young people to be disciplined and responsible, as the country’s development depends on them.
Further explained that this training is crucial for youth to pay attention to the material provided by the technical team so that they can apply the knowledge to help prevent HIV-AIDS. Also called on the government, especially the Ministry of Health, to continue spreading information in municipalities and rural areas, as many people still lack access to such information and do not understand how HIV-AIDS is transmitted or how to protect themselves from it.
Report by: Nelfiano
Photo by: Nelfiano