Population Services Kenya (PS Kenya), in partnership with the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme (NASCOP) has conducted a campaign aimed at empowering youths to embrace self-care practices to manage their sexual and reproductive health.
The drive dubbed Self-care Dialogue Mtaani seeks to address the high rate of new HIV infections among the youth by advancing the HIV Self-Testing (HIVST) kits adoption as part of the virus prevention measure.
To implement this, PS Kenya has partnered with local pharmacies and clinics in Kisumu and Nairobi Counties where the programme is being piloted to expand the coverage for HIVST and enable customers to access timely and requisite care following their test results.
Through the partnership, pharmacists will dispense and offer advice on HIV products like antiretroviral drugs, Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) as well as Sexual and Reproductive Health products – condoms, lubricants, pregnancy testing kits and contraceptives as a self-care strategy to address the high rates of new HIV diagnosis.
Wendy Adamba, a Selfcare Expert at PS Kenya, said HIVST kits have encouraged more teens and young adults to check their HIV status as it provides a convenient and confidential way to access HIV screening.
“HIV self-testing allows people to take HIV tests and find out their results in the comfort of their home or any private location. This increases privacy and confidentiality and eliminates the HIV-related stigma and prejudice from service providers,” said Wendy.
She made the remarks during a Self-care Dialogue Session in Kisumu town that brought together grassroots Community-based organisations, HIV advocacy groups and youths from the lakeside city.
High kit prices, Adamba observed, have made the commodity out of reach for many adolescents and young people living in extreme poverty.
PS Kenya, she added, has solidified its partnership with the Ministry of Health to leverage the programme’s data to influence policies and regulations that would reduce the cost of HIV self-testing to boost accessibility among the youth.
Dorothy Oketch, HIV Programme Coordinator in Kisumu Central Sub-county affirmed that young people face significant challenges in accessing HIV prevention, testing and treatment services despite being the high-risk population.
In Kisumu County, the population aged 15-24 years accounts for at least 41 percent of all new HIV infections. To further alleviate the HIV epidemic in the lakeside county, Oketch said that aggressive intervention measures have been established to actively involve the young generation to combat the disease.
“We use peer champions to mobilise and conduct advocacy among fellow youths on HIV testing and adoption of the preventive services like PrEP and PEP as well as safe use of Sexual and Reproductive health products,” she pointed out.
By Robert Ojwang’ and Wickliffe Ananda
