AIDS Awareness Campaign Launched in Kenya

The Government of Kenya yesterday launched an AIDS awareness campaign dubbed “Jitambue leo” meaning know yourself.

This programme is targeting more than 77% adults in relationships and are not aware of their partners status. Health officials will go door-to-door so as to double the number of people tested.

Most people in Kenya shy away from getting tested for fear of being equated to promiscuity. However this exercise has been brought to their doorsteps, workplaces and they also have mobile centres so Kenyans have no reason to shy away.

Health Minister Beth Mugo said that most people were dying of AIDS related diseases since they were ignorant of their status.

Youths are more at risk and so they have been encouraged to get tested and know their status. The Minister for Health also urged the youth to involve themselves in productive activities to avoid idleness which exposes them to risky sexual behavior.

Mrs Mugo said that she is hopeful by June next year, 10 million people will have been reached. She also called upon those who tested positive to maintain healthy lifestyles through diet,seeking medication and adopting behavior change to avoid infecting others and acquiring new strains of the virus.

In recent years, Kenya has experienced a notable decline in HIV prevalence, attributed in part to significant behavioral change.

National adult HIV prevalence is estimated to have fallen from 10 percent in the late 1990s to about 6.1 percent in 2005.[CK]