GOVERNMENT TARGETS MSM ON HIV PREVENTION

By Nanjala Majale (BTM Correspondent)

KENYA – 02 July 2009: The Kenyan government has emphasized the need for increased awareness on the use of condoms among commercial sex workers and homosexuals, groups it says are most affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Head of the National Aids and STD Control Programme, Dr Nicholas Muraguri, told reporters on Wednesday at a press conference in Nairobi that this would be a sure way of reducing the spread of the syndrome.

“Commercial sex workers and men who have sex with men are contributing up to fifteen percent of our HIV infections every year. This is a huge population, so there is a need for us to focus,” Dr Muraguri said.

“Half of the clients of men who have commercial sex with men sex are actually married and therefore they may be a bridge for HIV infections in other areas,” he added.

Muraguri also outlined plans to expand awareness programmes to the rural areas.

“It looks like in urban areas, condom use access and availability is actually good but in the rural population, we have a challenge. And that is why we are now moving towards working with the social organisations and youth groups at a lower level to help with the distribution.”

He further stated that youth who were exposed to such awareness campaigns were more likely to protect themselves against HIV infections than those who were not.

“Over 55 percent of sexually active males between the ages of 15 to 24 years exposed to condom advertisements were more likely to report consistent condom use with non-spousal co-habiting,” he said.

The medic explained that there was a higher HIV prevalence among 15 to 24-year-old women compared to men.

“This indicates a need to design a forceful and persuasive campaign on HIV prevention strategies targeting female youth”, he concluded.