World AIDS Day Marked by Education and Outreach Events

Throughout western Kenya, AMPATH programs and partners recognized World AIDS Day earlier this month with education and awareness events including webinars, meetings, marches and public education initiatives.  

The World AIDS Day webinar on “Ending HIV for the World’s Children” is available.

World AIDS Day joins people around the world to unite in the fight against HIV, show support for people living with HIV, and commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. This year’s celebration was themed “#Sawazisha (Equalize), End the Triple Threat” as a call for collective action to end new HIV infections, sexual and gender-based violence and adolescent pregnancies that perpetuate inequalities among adolescents and young people.

Participants in World AIDS Day activities in Bungoma County

On World AIDS Day, AMPATH Consortium member Arnhold Institute for Global Health hosted a webinar featuring AMPATH’s co-director of research, Professor Winstone Nyandiko, and investigators Dr. Lonnie Embleton and Dr. Rachel Vreeman. The trio discussed “Ending HIV for the World’s Children.”

USAID DUMISHA AFYA supported Bungoma County in hosting this year’s national World AIDS Day 2022 ceremony at Kibabii University Grounds. Health Cabinet Secretary Dr. Susan Nakhumicha graced the event and reiterated government’s support in dealing with triple threats – rising new infections, adolescent pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence.

Often going unseen, untreated, and unchecked, gender-based violence could be most lethal among the threats since most cases go unreported. According to the focal person on gender-based violence in Bungoma County, Jackline Khisa, only about 700 cases have formally been reported in the county for the last eight months with the majority being from Kanduyi sub-County.

USAID AMPATH Uzima participated in the World AIDS Day events in Elgeyo Marakwet, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu and West Pokot counties. This year the events were marked with processions across the major towns followed by recognition ceremonies attended by county leadership, members of the County Health Department and partners.

USAID AMPATH Uzima led awareness events in several counties including Uasin Gishu.

Senior county officials that attended the activities including Prof. Cheserek, Deputy Governor Elgeyo Marakwet; Philomena Bineah, Deputy Governor Trans Nzoia; Dr. Eddyson Haro Nyale, County Commissioner Uasin Gishu; and Claire Parklea, Chief Officer Health West Pokot County; among others.  The ceremonies included tree planting, HIV testing, condom usage presentations, health talks, and testimonials from people living with HIV/AIDS, among other sensitization activities.

All counties raised the alarm over the findings that 52 percent of new infections occurred among youth aged 15-29.  All leaders in the counties reiterated the need to adopt an integrated approach to ending the triple threat of new HIV infections, gender-based violence, and teenage pregnancies. Some of the strategies earmarked to reduce new infections include: identification and engagement of affected people (especially adolescent girls); conducting community dialogue days; sensitizing and empowering communities on the prevention of HIV, teenage pregnancies, and gender-based violence; strengthening school health programs on adolescent life skills; conducting psychological counselling of affected individuals.

The Daily Nation (Kenyan newspaper) reported on HIV rates for adolescents and featured a photo from the USAID AMPATH Uzima community event.

USAID 4TheChild commemorated World AIDS Day by facilitating staff, children and adolescents living with HIV (CALHIV), caregivers of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) affected and/or infected with HIV, and community health volunteers (CHVs) to attend the events across Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Kisumu, and Siaya counties.

USAID 4TheChild participated in World AIDS Day events in several counties including Kisumu.

In Bungoma, USAID 4TheChild pitched an information exhibition tent at the national event to sensitize the public on the program and invite stakeholders to respond to issues affecting OVC, CALHIV, and adolescent girls and young women (AGYW).

In Busia, during the event held at Busia Polytechnic, the program participated in procession and edutainments (skits) meant to create awareness among the masses on HIV and the progress made towards addressing HIV in the county. The event urged stakeholders to support education of girl children as a way of minimizing the triple threat.

In Kakamega, the county’s First Lady, Prof. Janet Kassily Barasa, who also recently launched the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), shared that advancing mentorship programs, living healthy lives, and completing education were key in making young people contribute positively to the society. An HIV-positive teen mother, who USAID 4TheChild enrolled back to school, encouraged her peers to abstain from risky behavior and urged other teen mothers to further their dreams of completing school.

In Kisumu, during the event held at the Kenya Medical Training College grounds, stakeholders emphasized the need for various partners and communities to promote a collaborative approach to supporting the vulnerable through preventive services geared towards reducing new HIV infections, SGBVs, and pregnancies, particularly among the young adolescent girls.

In Siaya, the Governor, James Orengo, reiterated the commitment of his government to combat the spread of HIV in the county through strengthening service delivery systems at the community level.

Jepchirchir (Chiri) Kiplagat, PhD, assistant director of research and a 2021-22 Fogarty Fellow presented “How can we adapt services to meet the needs of an aging population living with HIV?” in December as well.