Fight against HIV and AIDS

Kenya has made great strides in arresting the spread of the HIV virus. The HIV prevalence rate in 1996 stood at an alarming 10.5 per cent.

Estimates put Kenyans living with Aids at 1.6 million thanks to Government efforts to contain the spread of the Aids causing virus. Public awareness campaigns and the availability of Anti-Retroviral (ARV’s) drugs registered a significant drop in the prevalence rate to stand at 6 per cent in 2015.

While these efforts must be commended, more still needs to be done as there are fears of resurgence in the prevalence, largely due to difficulties in accessing ARV’s. The ministry of education has also reported that at least 180,000 students are HIV positive. There are those who think that the ABCs of HIV/Aids (abstinence, be faithful and condoms) has lost relevance in this age. Moreover, the stigma against the affected has largely been overcome and those on ARVs live a normal life. Is it time to rally the world around something else, say treatment?

Research has shown that patients who are put on early ARV treatment can suppress the virus by up to 84 per cent thus greatly reducing the risk of infecting their partners. Another winning formula is in engaging with stakeholders like governments and NGOs in efforts to fight back the scourge.