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HIV/AIDS IN KENYA

HIV/AIDS IN KENYA. BY JACOBET EDITH WAMBAYI, PhD Abeingo Association Canada. Introduction. The HIV pandemic is a global emergency taking the lives of eight thousand people a day and threatening the lives of tens of millions more as the infection continues to spread around the world.

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HIV/AIDS IN KENYA

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  1. HIV/AIDS IN KENYA BY JACOBET EDITH WAMBAYI, PhD Abeingo Association Canada

  2. Introduction • The HIV pandemic is a global emergency taking the lives of eight thousand people a day and threatening the lives of tens of millions more as the infection continues to spread around the world. • Kenya faces a severe, generalized HIV/AIDS epidemic that continues to have a devastating impact on all sectors of society.

  3. Introduction cont… • Major Vulnerable and affected groups include: • AIDS orphans • Pregnant women • Rural populations living in areas with a high burden of disease

  4. Introduction cont… • Girls and young women are particularly vulnerable to infection • Women 15–24 years of age are more than twice as likely to be infected as men this age • The prevalence of HIV is higher in urban areas: about 10% among pregnant women

  5. HIV Statistics • Between 7% and 8.5% of the adult population suffers from HIV/AIDS • National adult HIV prevalence is estimated to have fallen from 10 percent in the late 1990s to about 6.1 percent in 2005 due to significant behavioural change and increased access to Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) but it is rising again

  6. HIV Statistics cont… • Kenya has a mixed epidemic with areas similar to high prevalence countries in southern Africa where the epidemic is firmly established in the general population (e.g. Nyanza province) and areas with prevalence rates that may not be higher than 1% and transmission patterns that are mainly limited to specific risk groups (e.g. in North Eastern province).

  7. HIV Statistics cont… • Currently, the estimated number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Kenya is 1.4 million • The estimated annual number of new HIV infections is 60,000-140,000 (Incidence) • An estimated 130,000 of 260,000 eligible persons receive antiretroviral therapy.

  8. HIV Statistics cont… • The recentKenya AIDS Indicatory Survey (2009) estimates that 1.4 million adults in Kenya are infected with HIV • Nyanza and Rift Valley provinces account for more than half of infected adults in Kenya • Nairobi has the next largest number of HIV infected adults followed by Coast, Eastern and Western provinces • The lowest HIV burden is in North Eastern province.

  9. HIV Statistics cont… • At the time of the survey, only about a third of HIV infected adults age 15-64 in need of ART (35%) were accessing treatment. • An estimated 250,000 infected adults who were eligible for ARTwere not on treatment in 2007

  10. HIV Statistics cont…

  11. How HIV Progresses To AIDS HIV+ Asymptomatic HIV+ Symptomatic Infection AIDS “Window Period” 3 Months 2-15 years Average 10 yrs (flu-like symptoms)

  12. Why HIV continues to spread? Questions • Why is the epidemic escalating?  • Where are we failing? • Do we have the right information? • Who do we need to involve? • Do you know the confounding factors of HIV/AIDS? • How are you going to look after community members infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS?

  13. Why HIV continues to spread cont… Questions cont… • What about the orphans left behind? • What barriers do we encounter as we try to fight the disease at all levels? Have you contributed to these barriers knowingly or unknowingly? • Individual (family, friends) • Community (family, church, organizations, schools) • National (Government/political) • International (Governments/NGOs)

  14. Why HIV continues to spread cont… • The problem all round is in the FEAR, DENIAL, DISCRIMINATION and associated ills perpetuated by communities all over the world when it comes to HIV/AIDS care and support • Lack of right information

  15. Suggested approaches • Only after we learn through continuing education how to fight these ills will we be able to make a difference • Identify: • Family/community groups you can work with and educate them and learn from them as you work with them • Government departments and agencies • Local and International NGOs, learn what they do

  16. Suggested approaches cont… • Empower vulnerable groups especially women and youth in the fight against HIV/AIDS – when you educate a woman you educate a nation

  17. Steps by the Government • The Sessional Paper No. 4 of 1997 (Kenya Government) provides a policy framework to guide all partners in Kenya’s response to the challenges of HIV/AIDS • Other supportive policies include a policy on condom use, national guidelines on voluntary counselling and testing, guidelines on national home-based care programmes and services, guidelines on blood safety…..

  18. Steps by the Government cont… • The Government of Kenya established the National AIDS Control Council (NACC) in 1999 • Mission – To mobilize and coordinate resources for prevention of HIV transmission and provision of care and support to the infected and the affected in Kenya.

  19. Steps by the Government cont… • Other institutions working in collaboration to support care and treatment include the National AIDS and STD Control Program [NASCOP] and Kenyan Medical Research Institute [KEMRI]) • The National Bureau of Statistics and other partners Work to implement the Kenya AIDS Indicator Survey to provide national estimates of HIV prevalence, incidence and other HIV/AIDS statistics

  20. Steps by the Government cont… • The National AIDS Control Council has developed the Kenya National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan 2005–2010 (KNASP); its overriding theme is social change to reduce HIV/AIDS and poverty

  21. Steps by the Government cont… Prevention of New Infections • Behaviour Change Communication- BCC • KNASP aims to reduce the number of girls and boys having sex by age 15 • Promote abstinence and/or consistent practice of safer sex among those who are most vulnerable and the general population

  22. Steps by the Government cont… • Behaviour Change Communication- BCC • KNASP 2005/06-2009/10 therefore supports the development of a national BCC strategy and BCC coordination mechanism to provide overall guidance to all partners implementing BCC programmes

  23. Steps by the Government cont… • Counselling and Testing • Counselling and testing is a key sexual behaviour change strategy for both HIV + and - people • Condom Promotion: • Condom use remains a key methodology for prevention of HIV and other STIs.

  24. Steps by the Government cont… • Prevention of mother-to-child transmission: • (PMCT) services are currently provided in about 400 antenatal clinics (ANC) in Kenya. KNASP 2005/06-2009/10 is expanding PMCT services countrywide to increase access to ARV for HIV positive pregnant mothers from 10% to at least 50% and reduce the proportion of HIV positive babies born to HIV positive mothers from 33% to below 23%

  25. Steps by the Government cont… • Treatment: • Kenya supports the global “3 by 5 Initiative”, which aimed to provide Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) to 3 million people in developing countries by the end of 2005. • To this end, a national ART programme was developed to progressively deliver effective ART, reaching 50% of those eligible by 2005 and 75% by 2010

  26. Steps by the Government cont… • Home based care: -Training of community members in basic care of the sick, counseling and other support • Community empowerment -Increased information available at community level on socioeconomic impact of HIV/AIDS and appropriate responses

  27. Steps by the Government cont… • The government recently launched its latest programme called Jitambue Leo - literally "know yourself". • Teams of health department workers are knocking on as many doors hoping to reach one million people • This will add to the 700,000 who have been to voluntary counselling and testing clinics since the programme began five years ago

  28. HIV Status in Canada • In 2007 there were more than 63,000 cases of HIV in Canada • 26,490 live in Ontario (about half) • There is an increase in incidence every year • Most affected groups are: • Men who have sex with men (15,300) • Persons from HIV endemic countries (4,472) • Others by heterososexual transmission (4,023) • 23% of those diagnosed were women Robert S. Remis, Report on HIV/AIDS in Ontario, Updated June 2009

  29. Conclusion • Although we leave forums like this with more questions than when we came in, let us not be discouraged. Every time you gather new information – put it to use • With strong leadership and political will, Kenya and other African countries are going a long way in fighting the scourge

  30. Conclusion cont… • As well, modifying some of the traditional practices will reduce the spread of the disease • Finally, supporting our own people of African descent in their various capacities e.g. community work, care provision and research will empower the community to fight HIV/AIDS

  31. Conclusion cont… • Your life begins with Sexual Health, continues and ends with Community Health • LEARN AND UNDERSTAND THEM • THANK YOU!

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