CHILDREN FIRST visited Montego Bay yesterday to promote HIV/AIDS and STI awareness with the help of a mobile bus that administers testing and counselling services.

'Bashy Bus' is Children First's mobile health clinic and was created in response to reports of adolescents engaging in sexual intercourse in buses and other public-passenger vehicles.

The performing arts and youth-targeted reading material are used to increase vulnerable adolescents' awareness of sexual and reproductive health, promote safer sex, and make them aware of the sexual-health services that are available to them.

Since Sunday, the bus has been travelling around the island to promote Safe Sex Awareness Week.

no coincidence

It was no coincidence that the visit was planned for the lover's holiday, according to Safe Sex Awareness Week representatives.

"We wanted to remind people of the importance of safe sex since it's so close to Valentine's Day," said Cheryl Belcher-Peart, a regional HIV-prevention technical officer. "This is a time when sexual activity increases."

Although the focus of the organisation is adolescents, persons of all ages visited the Safe Sex Awareness Week booths to participate in the activities and live entertainment that Bashy Bus counsellors and youth provided.

"The process is simple and confidential," said Claudette Richardson-Pious, Children First executive director.

According to Richardson-Pious, interested persons participate in pre-counselling services. Then, the HIV/AIDS test is administered. Finally, there are post-counselling services provided by health-care professionals. Test results are available within 30 minutes.

ongoing campaign

Bashy Bus is particularly interested in the parishes of St Catherine, St Ann, and St James where there are high rates of internal migration and population movement due to tourism and urbanisation.

Although Safe Sex Awareness Week ends on Valentine's Day, the mobile health clinic plans to continue its visits. The next stop for Bashy Bus is Maroon Town.