NANDI COUNTY PARTNERS WITH THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IN A CAMPAIGN DUBED ‘END THE TRIPLE THREAT’
The county government of Nandi through the Department of Health has partnered with the National Government’s Ministry of Health and the National Syndemic diseases control council in the fight against Sexual and Gender Based Violence, teenage pregnancies and new HIV infections.
Speaking at an event held on Thursday at Aldai Technical Training Institute in Kemeloi-Maraba ward, the deputy governor Dr. Yulita Mitei Cheruiyot said that the County Government will work to end early childhood pregnancies, sexual and Gender Based Violence and new HIV infections in Nandi.
On her part, the chief executive officer for the national syndemic diseases control council Dr. Ruth Laibon- Masha said that it is the responsibility of every parent/guardian to ensure that children are protected from Sexual abuse which can lead to early pregnancies and HIV infections. She said that most children are abused by people who are well-known to them including close family members. The sensitization event brought together state officers, health professionals, local leaders, chiefs, village elders, members of the 4th estate and community health volunteers and they discussed on the best ways to curb the three issues which affect young people in Kenya.
According to statistics, Nandi records 68 new HIV infections every month. This according to experts is alarming. In Nandi, there are 18,618 people living with HIV. This is according to the National syndemic diseases control council report 2022. The report says that Kenya loses about 6 adolescents and young people aged 15-24 daily to AIDS-related illnesses. The report says in 2021 alone, pregnancies among children aged 10-14 years increased by 28.7% from 16,956 to 21,823. The number of new HIV infections among those aged 15-24 increased in Kenya by 7.7% compared to the year 2020 according to the report.
In Nandi, 555 new HIV infections were recorded in 2021. The report further says 5781 adolescent pregnancies (10-19 years),64 sexual and gender-based violence (10-17 years) and 112 new HIV infections (10-19 years) were recorded in Nandi in 2021 among adolescents. In Kenya, 316,187 adolescent pregnancies, 16,476 SGBV cases and 5123 new HIV infections were recorded in 2021 according to the report. The campaign dubbed ‘End the triple threat’ is happening is all the 47 counties in Kenya with the aim of sensitizing the public to join the fight against new HIV infections, sexual and gender-based violence and adolescent pregnancies.
Also in attendance at the event were Mrs Ruth Koech, the County Executive Committee Member for Health, and her counterpart from Elgeyo Marakwet County, Mr. Michael Kibiwott, along with other guests.