Adolescents at Nyamarambe sub county marked World Aids Day in style after a non-governmental organization provided them with ‘Maisha Packs’,counseling and testing on HIV/Aids.
Daraja United Women and Youths Empowerment (DAUWOYE) disbursed the packs which contained personal and consumable items to some vulnerable teenagers.
The adolescents had a rare opportunity to interact with the organization’s members to receive information on Hiv/aids amid concerns that the area had increased cases of the disease.
New Hiv/Aids infections were attributed to an influx of foreigners seeking soapstone artifacts,sugarcane and herbal medicine from neighboring counties.
According an Hiv/Aids testing officer,at Nduru health facility,Elijah Bogonko, the adolescents had immensely benefited from the on-going programme which involved peer sentization,testing of contacts and their referrals.
They were urged to present themselves for free of charge testing before they were put on Anti Retra-viral drugs.
Cleophus Bogonko,implementing the Adolescent and Young People Programme in the area explained it targeted the age group owing to their vulnerability to contacting the virus.
The programme sponsored by the Global Fund and Kenya Red Cross reached out to the adolescents in schools to provide the Hiv/Aids services to them which could not be possible under the traditional culture.
Bogonko cited FGM as one of the outdated practices that helped spread the Hiv/Aids.
But Diana Silvia,a Community Adolescent Supporter introduced a vital angle in her work saying she made follow-ups to ensure those infected did not default from taking the prescribed drugs.
This she did by visiting home care centres and seeking the support of the local administration.
This year’s theme was Global Solidarity and shared responsibility.