IN response to an invitation by the Club of peer educators against HIV/AIDS in Lycee 4 of Daloa, the HIV/AIDS Unit of the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) conducted a sensitisation talk for some 150 high school pupils on early pregnancy and HIV/AIDS on Wednesday 19 March 2014.



The speaker, Cesaire Tankoua of UNOCI's regional office in Daloa sharpened the knowledge of the pupils about AIDS and the consequence of early pregnancy in school. "You must avoid risky behavior. Becoming pregnant while attending school exposes you to isolation and an end to your education," he warned, adding: "It may also lead you to committing abortion which might in turn lead to sterility and death. Mr. Tankoua advised them to engage in conversation within the family and school environment about sexuality.



The pupils were educated on precautions to take against sexually transmitted infections by practicing abstinence or using condoms for the sexually active.



A spokesman for the pupils, Marus Glohissia said he was pleased with the sensitization, remarking that twenty cases of pregnancy were recently recorded in their school. He thanked UNOCI for its support and promised they would "concentrate more on their studies than engaging in behavior that could harm."