World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day: Kenyan activists join hands to fight HIV and Covid-19

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World marks World AIDS Day

Today – World AIDS Day – is a good day to take stock of all the milestones, challenges and work remaining in the fight to end the Aids epidemic.

Did you know every week, around 5500 young women aged 15–24 years are infected with HIV according to UNAIDS. It is for this reason that Kibera Community Emergency Response Team, Association of Volunteers in International Service (AVSI), Sister for Sister, Shining Hope For Communities (SHOFCO), Greencard Mtaani, Kicoshep, Lea Toto-Nyumbani, Beacon of Hope (BOH), Carolina for Kibera (CFK) and Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) will be converging at KIBRA Constituency to commemorate World AIDS Day under the national theme ‘Komesha HIV na COVID-19’ #Tuwajibike’ to support the Government’s efforts towards preventing the spread of HIV and COVID-19. 

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Komesha HIV na COVID-19

These organizations will come together while ensuring adherence to COVID-19 guidelines breaking from the norm and have a number of activities that focus more on vulnerable households of People Living with HIV and AIDS, Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Care givers, Adolescents and Young People including pregnant and breastfeeding adolescent girls and young women. 

These activities will include a walk from Olympic Terminus to DC, free HIV testing and counseling at identified points in Kibra, Food & sanitary towels distribution for vulnerable households of people living with HIV, Sensitization of Caregivers and Youths on matters HIV/AIDs, Covid-19, Teenage pregnancies & prostitution, Gender Based Violence amongst others. 

World AIDS Day, designated on 1st December every year since 1988, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and remembering all those who have died of the disease. 

The National theme has been derived from the 2020 World AIDS Day Global theme; “Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility” which underscores the significance of individuals, countries and the global community uniting in taking responsibility to address HIV/AIDS amidst the growing list of challenges derailing ongoing global efforts today including the COVID-19 pandemic. 

90-90-90 

To reduce the scourge of HIV/AIDS the United Nations introduced a concept called 90-90-90 to tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic in 2013.

The goal was that by 2020, 90% of people who are HIV infected will be diagnosed, 90% of people who are diagnosed will be on antiretroviral treatment and 90% of those who receive antiretrovirals will be virally suppressed. 

Fast forward to 2020 and there were approximately 38.0 million people living with HIV globally as of 2019 and 690 000 people died of AIDS-related illnesses.

So has the 90-90-90 rule bore any fruits?

In 2019; 81% [68–95%] of people living with HIV knew their HIV status.

Among people who knew their status, 82% [66–97%] were accessing treatment.

And among people accessing treatment, 88% [71–100%] were virally suppressed.

Of all people living with HIV, 81% [68–95%] knew their status, 67% [54–79%] were accessing treatment and 59% [49–69%] were virally suppressed in 2019.

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