Over the past decade, the continuing increase in the incidence and prevalence of the HIV infection and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ( AIDS ) has been the cause of increasing concern to the Caribbean population . The youth of our Region are not only experiencing increasing morbidity but significant mortality from this and the theme: "Youth: A Force for Change", could not have been more timely.

During the recently concluded Youth Explosion ( 17 Sept-7th October,1998) youths had an opportunity to state very definitively what their needs were especially in the area of Reproductive Health. In defining their vision for the Caribbean, they saw the Region as having :

• -"A society in pursuit of excellence striving to achieve freedom from all social ills;

• -a society which promotes healthy lifestyles and ensures that its citizens have easy access to essential health information services and facilities;

• -a society in which institutional infrastructure along with legal and administrative frameworks permit citizens access to resources, employment, education and training and make them fully aware of their rights and responsibilities with a forum to promote their issues and concerns at the highest policy making levels."

In relation to Adolescent Reproductive Health the youth called for the development of youth centres which offer comprehensive programmes on reproductive health care, 24-hour hotlines, education classes and/or informal sessions for adolescents to rap on sex education as well as provide counselling for victims of rape and other forms of violence, HIV/AIDS, incest and abortion. They also recognised the need to increase the involvement of males in Adolescent Reproductive Health Programmes, enforce the laws on age of consent, promote unity of action, and upgrade the resources and programmes of all stakeholders including government agencies, NGOs, parents, religious groups, youth and youth groups.

They wanted the assurance that youth and youth groups would be formally invited to participate as full members of networks, coalitions and committees established to promote reproductive health at national, regional and international levels.

The youths of the Caribbean have spoken and it is up to us as decision-makers, parents and adults to heed their call.

The Youth Summit, informative as it was, brought home the point that we need to do further research in respect of the reproductive health and social needs of young people in our society and the factors which influence their choices in this sphere of life.

The CARICOM Secretariat has recognised the importance of promoting the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS /STDs and the CARICOM Health Sector Development Section is actively working with international and regional partners such as the UNAIDS and CAREC to strengthen the response programmes in Member States.

But the effort to diminish the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean must not only be an effort of institutions, each Caribbean citizen must play a part in ensuring that the spread of the virus is curtailed. We all need to live healthy lifestyles, practice safe sex and encourage our youths to participate fully in this effort. Our lives, the lives of our children and economic survival depend upon our controlling the further spread of this scourge.

1 December 1998