The HIV/AIDS crisis has been disastrous for Kenya’s children. The fatal disease is really brewing up and has shown escalating graph in here. Roughly, AIDS has orphaned one million children in the region.
A little girl of twelve is fighting her lone battle with the malady. She is also helping other children who are acquired with the disease and encourages them in taking the drugs as well. Being HIV positive, her own siblings’ were not ready to accept her however, after her mother made them aware of her condition the taboo was removed from her.
This is just an instance but it has been assumed that there are many children who are surviving with the same kind of situation in the region.
Although there are, provisions by the government in providing with the anti-retro viral (ARV) drugs, but before that the children have to face other hurdles that are already at their disposal. Social set up, financial status and environmental factors are some of the paradigms laid before them.
Figuratively:
1. pregnant women have access to HIV testing but not all who are found positive can access nevarapine, a drug that is administered at birth to reduce the risk of HIV transmission from mother to child
2. nearly 150,000 to 180,000 children are HIV positive
3. the region accounts to about 34,000 new infections yearly
4. 30,000 to 40,000 children in Kenya are born HIV-positive every year
5. 60 to 70% die before their fifth birthday
Present scenario:
Over 50% of Kenyans live below the poverty line and face food insecurity and malnutrition. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has made life considerably more difficult for the majority of these people.
Many people living with HIV/AIDS and requiring treatment have already lost their savings, and their jobs.
Bottom line:
There is lack of lack of clear procedures on ordering, stocking and accountability of anti- retro viral (ARV) drugs. Also, some parents are not in favor of providing their kids with the treatment. Thus, the Government needs a clear pediatric HIV policy to ensure drugs are available and supportive therapy is given to infected children.
Diagnosing the disease for children must be done with supportive child counselors, which however is lacking in the region.
But above all these things, the best way to curb this problem is by improving care and treatment for the pregnant women.
Comments
this is seriously bad i think that this generation should keep with the law of abstinence. you can see how little children who came to this world for better purposes are inflicted with the pains of hiv/aids because their parent fail to hold their body from sex. if we also continue this way the next generation will die.............save the next generation,save our nation,save our house hold.