Topic > The HIV/AIDS challenge in Kenya

Index Research progress Policy proposal to fight HIV/AIDS Conclusion Research progress Kenya is one of the countries hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic, with the country which reports over 100,000 new HIV infections each year. In 2005, the country was ranked 4th in the world for HIV-infected population and 17th for HIV/AIDS prevalence rate (WHO 2005). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Statistics released by the Ministry of Health indicate a bipolar trend regarding HIV incidence, with Homa Bay, ranked as the highest in the number of reported HIV cases/AIDS infection cases, with almost 27 people out of 100 are living with the AIDS virus. On the other hand, in Wajir County only one in 500 people is living with the virus. In fact, the country is red! As a result, the government has put in place various measures to help deal with this killer monster. However, shortcomings and challenges still exist when it comes to combating HIV and AIDS. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines HIV as the human immunodeficiency virus and AIDS as the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. HIV/AIDS is a spectrum of conditions caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The financial challenge is one of the major bottlenecks in the fight against HIV and AIDS in Kenya. Due to a lack of adequate capital, the country has been unable to purchase drugs such as antiretrovirals to help reduce the effect of the virus in the body. This has led the country to rely heavily on drug donations from organizations such as the World Health Organization, among others. Furthermore, the country is unable to carry out HIV and AIDS awareness activities. Food is a basic human need and eating a nutritious diet is critical in the management of HIV and AIDS. However, the country does not have sufficient funds to meet the food needs of HIV and AIDS patients. As a result, the Kenyan government resorted to borrowing. Another challenge to HIV/AIDS prevention in Kenya is corruption, discrimination in the distribution of condoms and the inability of communities to use them effectively. The government actively promoted the use of condoms. However, many people still find it difficult to obtain condoms. Furthermore, even where condoms are widely available, this does not guarantee their use. The 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey revealed that only 40% of women and 43% of men with multiple partners in 12 months reported using a condom the last time they had sex (Coovadia, 2005 ). Furthermore, HIV stigma and discrimination is relatively high in Kenya and therefore constitutes a bottleneck also in terms of HIV/AIDS prevention. Many people living with HIV and AIDS face high levels of stigma and discrimination, a situation that dissuades many people living with HIV, particularly vulnerable groups, from seeking vital services (Hogan et al., 2005 ). Sex workers and people who inject drugs pose a challenge to the Kenyan government in its efforts to combat the prevalence of the AIDS virus. In a 2011 study among people who inject drugs in Kenya, an estimated 18.3% of new infections occurred among those who inject drugs. Condom use and safe injection practices are rare among this group and are therefore the cause of high rates of HIV and AIDS transmission. The limited resources forHIV prevention in the country pose another challenge when it comes to HIV and AIDS prevention. Today, the need to do more with existing resources is greater than ever. To achieve a higher level of impact with every shilling of federal prevention, the country is pursuing a high-impact prevention approach that works to match cost-effective, scalable interventions to heavily affected populations and geographic settings to maximize reductions in incidence of HIV (Merson, O'Malley, Serwadda and Apisuk, 2008). Many Kenyans have become complacent about HIV and AIDS. Too many Kenyans no longer consider the AIDS virus a serious concern. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that the percentage of people who consider HIV to be a serious health problem is substantially lower than it was a decade ago. Even more concerning are studies showing that among some of the populations with the highest infection rates, many people do not recognize the risk or believe that HIV is no longer a serious health threat. Each new generation needs to be reminded of the still serious nature of HIV and the importance of prevention. More than decades ago, after the first episode of HIV/AIDS was reported in the country, the sense of national crisis may have faded (Lagakos & Gable, 2008). Data on new HIV/AIDS infections are not widely available as are prevalence data. Therefore, although efforts have been made to include incidence, it would be necessary for countries' HIV/AIDS data collection systems to include incidence as prevalence alone does not explain the epidemic. Additionally, there are limited articles specifically on HIV/AIDS. prevention strategies; This represents a major challenge in the fight against the pandemic since information on prevention strategies is not easily available, a situation that results in a heavy reliance on information from the websites of different organizations. Furthermore, this information may not be immediately current. Policy Proposal to Fight HIV/AIDS Some of the strategies that can be used to fight the AIDS epidemic include; Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Increasing Availability and Access to HIV/AIDS Counseling and Testing Kenyans who have become complacent about HIV and AIDS should be educated and remember that the disease has no cure. Additionally, counseling and testing are a key strategy for behavior change. Individuals who test negative for HIV (Mwaura 2009). Furthermore, the government can introduce behavioral change programs and delay sexual behavior among young people. Establishment of rehabilitation centers The government should encourage the establishment of rehabilitation centers to help reclaim people who inject drugs and sex workers. programs in the country The country should establish more bodies responsible for coordinating the response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, with the aim of reducing HIV infections and stigma, such as the National AIDS Control Council (NACC) and the Kenya AIDS Strategic Framework. Condom Distribution and Use Many rural areas of Kenya are inaccessible due to poor road networks, a situation that makes condom distribution difficult and challenging (Cherutich NASCOP). The government should therefore increase efforts in infrastructure development. Financing the HIV response The country should organize more funds in addition to the High-Level Steering Committee for Sustainable Financing which has.