Siaya County has recorded 84 percent drop in new HIV/AIDS infections among adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years between the years 2015 and 2021.
The director of the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council, Lucy Ghati, reported that the number of new infections among this age group dropped from 2,355 to 371 during the period.
Ghati announced these figures while speaking during a sensitization forum for community opinion leaders on ending new HIV infections, adolescent pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence in Siaya County.
Among the dignitaries present at the Siaya Kenya medical training College grounds for the sensitization forum were Siaya county commissioner, Jim Njoka and the county executive committee member for health Dr. Martin Odhiambo K’onyango.
The director further stated that during the period, Kenya’s new HIV infections amongst the adolescents stood at 5,123, with Siaya County itself contributing seven percent.
Moreover, Ghati reported that HIV/AIDS prevalence in Siaya county, which stands at 14.1%, is four times higher than the national prevalence and called for concerted efforts to bring the figures down.
She further added that with a youthful population where 59% was aged below 24 years, the county’s youth was faced with triple threat of HIV, adolescent pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence.
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Therefore, she recommended the need for opinion leaders and other stakeholders to join hands to tackle the vices.
Likewise, Siaya county commissioner, Jim Njoka urged all the stakeholders to work together to win the war against these vices. Adding that gender-based violence is a silent threat to society as most people feel shy to come to the open.
“Gender based Violence is a silent epidemic due to stigma” he said.
Njoka further urged all leaders to start talking about it in churches, public barazas and all other forums.
On the other hand, Siaya county executive committee member for health, Dr. Martin Odhiambo K’onyango stated that although the county had made some milestones in the war against HIVAIDS, a lot more still needs to be done.
Furthermore, the “Triple Threat Campaign” is a multi-sectoral, whole government approach to ending new HIV infections, unintended pregnancies, sexual and gender-based violence among adolescent girls and young women by addressing the drivers of risk and vulnerability in this population.
