Youth Health — the Future of the Nation

December 1, 2025

As part of the World AIDS Day campaign, the week-long initiative “Youth Health — the Future of the Nation!” was launched on 24 November 2025 at Shymkent Polytechnic College.

From 24 to 28 November, a series of lectures and training sessions for first-year students were held under the theme “From Challenges to Change: Transforming the HIV Response.”

Specialists from the Center for the Prevention and Control of AIDS — M. G. Moiseeva, D. Zh. Kutmambetova, and D. A. Ibaydullaeva — spoke about HIV prevention, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV, healthy lifestyles, and the importance of moral and sexual education for young people.

During the sessions, the speakers answered students’ questions, showed educational videos, and organized surveys and interactive games designed to assess students’ understanding of the material and to demonstrate how essential it is to apply knowledge responsibly and make informed decisions about one’s health.

At the conclusion of one of the meetings, M. Moiseeva emphasized:

“The health of every person is the foundation of a fulfilling life. Prevention — including of HIV and sexually transmitted infections — knowledge, and community support are all crucial to maintaining it. The health of young people determines the health and quality of life of future generations. As representatives of the younger generation, you are the demographic and intellectual potential of our country, and our future depends on your health.”

Students also shared their impressions and reflections on the importance of HIV prevention:

Aikyn, a first-year student (Group 351), said:

“Today’s lecture on HIV and sexually transmitted infections, as well as on stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV, was very informative and relevant for our age. The specialist from the AIDS Center explained everything clearly, provided real-life examples, and answered all questions without judgment.”

Maksim, a first-year student (Group 952), added:

“The lectures were very interesting, with clear and accessible information. The lecturer discussed HIV and STIs and stressed the importance of treating our health with care and responsibility. She also conducted an engaging interactive game — its results were surprising and thought-provoking. Thank you for the valuable information.”

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