- Among people living with HIV, knowledge of HIV status has been associated with a more than 60 per cent reduction in HIV transmission.
- The report further indicates antiretroviral therapy (ART) is recognized to confer substantial HIV prevention benefits.
Image: FILE
The awareness of HIV status among HIV-infected persons remains low, despite HIV testing rates having nearly reached the national target for HIV testing and counselling (HTC) in Kenya.
There is a need for the ceaseless growth of HTC programs to reach more teenagers and couples. Strategies should be actualized to increase repeat testing for persons at risk for HIV infection.
HTC is an essential step towards receiving HIV care and treatment among HIV-infected persons and plays a dominant role in HIV prevention for both HIV-infected and uninfected persons.
Among people living with HIV, knowledge of HIV status has been associated with a more than 60 per cent reduction in HIV transmission through improved risk-reduction behaviour, according to the national centre for biotechnology information.
The report further indicates antiretroviral therapy (ART) is recognized to confer substantial HIV prevention benefits, with a demonstrated 96 per cent reduction in transmission within serodiscordant couples.
This is an emphasis on the importance of HIV diagnosis.
The proposal by the Ministry of Health to have HIV tests made mandatory for all emergency admissions is timely and should consider the expansion of the tests to a larger purview that captures school and college-going teenagers.
Reducing rates of unintended pregnancy and HIV remains a major global challenge in all economies.
Adolescent girls and young women remain vulnerable, due to various factors that include gender inequality, discriminatory gender norms, and lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services and HIV prevention and information. Lack of parental mentorship and stigmatization has a role in the increasing cases of HIV infections.
According to the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council, there are about 1.6 million people in the country living with HIV-Aids, with over 53 per cent of the infected population unaware of their HIV status.
Out of the 1.6 million, more than 942,000 are women and girls, which is more than half of all people living with HIV-Aids in the country.
Out of the 427 new infections recorded in the country every week, 62 occur among adolescents aged 10 to 24 years.
Poverty, transactional sex, risky behaviours, lack of education and employment opportunities in marginalized communities are common drivers for adolescent pregnancies.
These high rates of teenage pregnancies have significantly contributed to poor health indices, including a high incidence rate for HIV that needs rapid attention from all stakeholders.
There appears to be a generational information gap and lapse, largely being witnessed in the rural areas, where a majority of HIV/Aids infected parents have been on anti-retroviral for close to 10-15 years, boosting immune systems and leading normal life including siring of children. HIV mother–to–child transmission is still high in the country.
The World Health Organization has raised a red flag on mum-to-child HIV transmission citing an increase in 21 counties in Kenya.
The offspring of these parents are HIV-positive and are normally put on medication right from birth.
This population is huge and school and college teenagers as well as young women fall in this category.
This group remains highly challenged, sexually active and a major conduit of HIV spread.
The cadre lacks proper and comprehensive HIV/AIDS awareness information, appearing healthy and attractive to predators who view them as virgins and safer than commercial sex workers, yet not the case.
The proposal to make HIV tests mandatory should be approached soberly devoid of politics but with a broader view on rights to privacy, health value and social-economic impact in the mid and long-term range.
Comprehensive pre and post-HIV counselling facilities should be well-equipped, strengthened and made affordable across the country.
County governments in conjunction with social partners should double their efforts in addressing the rise of HIV infection and teenage pregnancies by allocating sufficient resources to address the challenge.
Policy-makers in counties should regard adolescents as a key population group for sexual and reproductive health, HIV and violence-related services, given current demographic trends.
County Governments should focus on reviewing family health education policies and implementation in institutions, working with educationists and health authorities at different levels.
Disseminate age-appropriate information on SRH, HIV and violence-related services and programmes in schools, targeting younger (10–14) as well as older adolescents.
Conduct awareness-raising with parents of adolescents (16 years and above), including information about SRH and HIV, existing programmes and how to discuss sensitive or embarrassing topics in an age-appropriate manner.
They should Implement community-based awareness-raising programmes targeting community and religious leaders with information on SRH and HIV and the need for culturally appropriate FHE in schools.
Design programmes that encourage positive norm change and sensitize communities to reduce stigma towards adolescents, including those from marginalized groups, seeking SRH and HIV services.
They should provide income security for the most vulnerable girls during their school years so that they can meet school-related expenses through tailored cash-plus support packages, implement programmes that offer adolescents livelihood opportunities to give girls alternatives to marriage and early pregnancy and ensure greater financial support for adolescents in rural areas.
Founder Integrated Development Network