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Lack of education and knowledge about the disease reinforce these stigmas and misperceptions. Various myths about the ways in which AIDS can be treated, as well as a general distrust of doctors, make it difficult to control the spread of the virus. (www.kenyaaidsinstitute.org). Although the government is working to change these views, more must be done. For example, in 2000, only 26% of females ages 15 to 24 could correctly identify two ways of preventing the sexual transmission of HIV (The UN Epidemiological Fact Sheet on HIV and AIDS- Kenya). “Currently, risk perception is low among the sexually active, many of whom have multiple sex partners. Furthermore, many such people are neither aware of their HIV status nor those of their partners” (National Condom Policy and Strategy for Kenya). Kenya must engage in more successful education campaigns to help prevent the further spread of AIDS within the country. Impact of HIV The AIDS crisis in Kenya is of monumental proportion. In 1999, President Moi stated, “AIDS is not just a serious threat to our social and economic development, it is a real threat to our very existence…AIDS has reduced many families to the status of beggars…no family in Kenya remains untouched by the suffering and death caused by AIDS…” AIDS-related illnesses are the highest cause of mortality within the country and it is estimated that 700 Kenyans die daily from the disease (www.kenyaaidsinstitute.org). AIDS has a large effect, both socially and economically, on the country. According to the Kenyan Ministry of Health, “HIV/AIDS has a strong negative impact on the productive sectors of the economy because infection rates are highest among young, productive members of society.” Staff illnesses, absenteeism, and deaths negatively affect productivity. In 2003, an estimated 650,000 children were orphaned in Kenya when at least one of their parents died from the disease. These orphans place a financial burden on the country and medical care, drugs, and funeral costs create an economic strain on the Kenyan economy (Economic Impact of AIDS in Africa). Government Response and Access Following initial silence about the epidemic, the Kenyan government declared AIDS a national emergency in November 1999. In March 2003, President Kibaki declared “total war on HIV/AIDS” and established a cabinet committee to deal solely with HIV/AIDS related issues. Kenya currently receives $129 million a year from the U.S. government for HIV/AIDS relief and in 2004, the U.N. pledged $15 million to the cause. However, this is not enough. Many PLWHAs (people living with HIV/AIDS) are unable to receive the medical treatment they need to cope with the disease. In 2003, 220,000 Kenyans were in need of antiretroviral therapy, while only about 11,000 actually received it (The UN Epidemiological Fact Sheet on HIV and AIDS-Kenya). That same year the Ministry of Health launched a program attempting to make these drugs more available to the general public, but a lack of resources within the country have kept access to these medications limited. For example, the least expensive antiretroviral treatments in Kenya cost approximately $53 a month, while the majority of HIV-infected Kenyans live on less than $1 a day. Because of a lack of resources and finances, public health services remain weak and treatment for the disease is limited (www.kenyaaidsinstitute.org) . The Kenyan government has tried to improve in the area of education and prevention. Programs such as the National Condom Policy and Strategy have been created to educate Kenyans on prevention techniques and to make condoms widespread and affordable throughout the country. Many national NGOs also work to raise awareness about the disease.
Scale Kenya’s AIDS epidemic is extremely widespread. Over recent years, the annual number of AIDS-related deaths has been steadily increasing. In fact, the death rate has doubled since 1999. The infection rate is far higher in urban areas and most new infections are occurring among youth, especially young women ages 15 to 24 and men under 30. Statistics that illustrate the severity of AIDS within the country follow. -Adult (15-49) HIV Prevalence Rate: 6.7% Local NGO profile: Kenya AIDS Watch Institute The Kenya AIDS Watch Institute (KAWI) is one of the many local NGOs working to fight AIDS within Kenya. KAWI centers on the idea of the ‘90:10 Imbalance‘(90% of AIDS victims are in the developing world, while only 10% of global resources are available to them). KAWI attempts to change this by becoming a research facility that helps monitor and evaluate HIV/AIDS programs. KAWI hopes that through research and education, “relevant and meaningful solutions to the problems of effective control and reduction of HIV/AIDS prevalence” will be created. Facts and Resources about AIDS in Kenya *AIDS Progress in Kenya, 2005 Press Release *BBC Article: "AIDS in Kenya, A Social Disease" *MSNBC: "Few Victories, but Fewer Solutions in the AIDS Crisis" *BBC Article: Mobile Phones Help in Kenya's Fight Against AIDS *"Kenyan Government Admits Failure to Distribute Funds to Fight HIV/AIDS..." *National Condom Policy and Strategy for Kenya, 2001-2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Misperceptions,
stigmas, and discrimination have all posed large barriers in Kenya’s fight
against HIV/AIDS. Those infected by the virus constantly deal with issues of
discrimination and hatred because HIV/AIDS is viewed as a disease of the morally
corrupt because of the ways in which it is transmitted. In many cases, if a
person’s AIDS status is revealed, they risk losing their employment, housing,
and social relationships. 
