STORY By VERONICA NTHAKYO
The National Syndemic Diseases Control Council has embarked on an ambitious task to ensure Kenya attained zero HIV/AIDS infections. "The government is focusing on zero HIV spread across the Country," said the Director of Health Promotion and Programmes, Stephen Ndolo.
He spoke during a two day public sensitisation forum on mitigation of AIDS pandemic and other syndemic diseases in Makueni, Wote on Tuesday.
The NSDCC collaborated with the Federation of Kenya Employers, Central Organisation of Trade Unions, HIV and Aids Tribunal and the State Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to host the event.
Ndolo said the campaign would also focus on work places to ensure that work mates do not pass the HIV/AIDS malady to one another. "Employers and employees need access information on policies that prevent the spread of HIV and other syndemic diseases at the work place for the zero spread to be achieved," pointed Ndolo.
He emphasized on the provision of and unrestricted access to condoms that help prevent infection at all public facilities for a healthy nation.
The representatives of civil society groups present were urged to sensitize members of grassroot community based organisations on sexual transmitted diseases,Tuberculosis, mental health as well as reproductive health.
Ndolo further lamented that the triple threat facing school girls in the country should not occur in the present day Kenya. The director noted that girls at the productive age of between 21 years to 29 years are at the highest risk of contracting HIV/AIDS, premature pregnancy and sexual and gender based violence.
Members of the informal sectors included bodaboda operators, hawkers, jua kali traders who participated in the sensitisation forum promised to spread the anti -HIV/AIDS message to the people they interact with.
Makueni county multi-sectorial coordinator, Joseph Kavoi, disclosed that in the year 2023, new recorded HIV cases stood at 179. He further said the disease prevelance for Makueni county stands at 2 percent while that of the country stands at 3.3 percent.
On January 20, US President Donald Trump sanctioned a three month stoppage of foreign aid that affected all United States Agency for International Development support. USAID funding support affected Africa the most. Among projects it funded were those fighting HIV spread, delivering food assistance and promoting security.
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