Sexual behaviour

James K Tumwine

Code Number: hs03019

As we mark yet another World AIDS Day the HIV/AIDS pandemic shows no sign of abating. If anything global figures are frightening and access to anti-retroviral drugs is not yet a reality even though the cost of medication has gone down.

But all is not lost. There is evidence to show the epidemic has leveled off in several sub Saharan countries such as Uganda. None the less, as Ntozi et al¹ show, very high-risk groups such as commercial sex workers, street children, long haul truck drivers, barmaids and adolescents have only changed their sexual behaviour a little: no solace for those campaigning hard for significant change!

Keeping within the sexual practices theme, this issue of African Health Sciences also contains a very significant article by Dr. Odar and colleagues² who report on sexual practices of women within six months of child birth. Almost half the women resumed sexual intercourse during the peuperium in response to the spouse’s demand. The early resumption of sexual intercourse was associated with high morbidity rates a situation calling for appropriate post partum sexual advice.

African Health Sciences also brings you a report of acute toxicity of the root-bark of Fagara zanthoxylodes an important source of herbal medicines used for elephantiasis, toothache, impotence, gonorrhoea and amenorrhoea³.

The authors conclude that Fagara zanthoxyloides is safe but associated with death through some yet unkown cerebral mechanism.

Meel⁴ has carried out an interesting operational study on the adequacy and efficiency of nursing staff in a child-welfare clinic at Umtata General Hospital, South Africa. The conclusion was that there is under-utilization of the staff at the hospital.

Other points covered include a case report of imaging features of brain tuberculoma from Tanzania, a review for CME in the relevance of the nutrition for mother and child health.

We have an interesting letter from a patient in Nairobi, Kenya who visited his G.P. with a stomach complaint. He ended up fighting his physician who tried to do a recal examination (which the patient thought was outright sodomy!) on him. The letter reminds the doctors and other health workers to explain all procedures and “carry” the patient with us all along.