Banning nightclubs ignores rural dilemma
I have read a lot of articles claiming that all issues regarding immorality, poverty and spread of HIV/AIDS are strongly associated with nightclubs.
We preach that this is a Christian country and we need to close down nightclubs to curb risky sexual behaviour that contributes to prostitution, breakdown in marriages and uncontrolled teenage sexual behaviour.
Let us all remind ourselves that HIV/AIDS does not discriminate. Even Christians get HIV/AIDS.
Dr Allan Marat should point to statistically proven evidence that moral issues and HIV/AIDS are caused or associated with nightclubs?
What about the six-to-six dances held in villages throughout the country? Can they be classified as nightclub activities?
According to NACS report last March, HIV/AIDS is either at a plateau or declining in urban areas compared with the rapid increase in rural areas.
Also recent medical research results presented at a medical symposium in 2007 showed that males living in rural areas have more female sexual partners than people in urban areas.
We should also take into consideration our cultural practice of polygamy and the low literacy rate in rural areas, causing the rural population to face a high risk right now.
My advice to Marat, is to accept that HIV/AIDS is a national problem that should be tackled holistically by all stakeholders.
Isolating nightclubs is only the tip of the iceberg, leaving the mammoth task out there for all of us to tackle.

Dr John Sairere, Madang
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