DAKAR, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Senegal stands at 0.3 percent, Executive Secretary of the National Council for the Fight Against AIDS Safietou Thiam said Monday.

The low prevalence is attributed to the 70 percent access to antiretroviral therapy (ARV) for people living with the disease, as well as a collective commitment from the population, particularly Senegalese youth, and the efforts of the Senegalese government, Thiam said during the launch ceremony of the Youth Mobilization Week Against AIDS held in Dakar.

However, she pointed out disparities in HIV prevalence among young people, noting a growing number of new infections in the 15 to 24 age group.

In Senegal, "seven out of ten new infections have occurred among young people under the age of 35," Thiam said, stressing that the silence surrounding the sexual health of young girls and boys makes them vulnerable to infections such as HIV/AIDS. Enditem

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