BY MERCY ROBI
Despite global progress in the fight against AIDS, the global community has not succeeded in reducing the rate of infection among adolescents at the same rate as among adults the rate of progress is three times slower. In some parts of the world, such as in sub-Saharan Africa, infections arising from HIV are the leading causes of death in this age group. It is estimated that in 2022 reports show that 133,455 adolescents are living with HIV in Kenya. There are also 18,004 new infections and 2,797 deaths among adolescents 10-19 years annually. Also, the recent Reports indicating that there has been a sharp increase in the number of new infections among adolescents are worrying and point to a problem in society that ought to be addressed urgently. To achieve a HIV-free future, the global community must tackle several key challenges. First, reaching the young people to encourage them to determine their HIV status is essential.
In areas where the rates of HIV infection are highest, the hardest to reach are usually socially and economically disadvantaged groups without access to health care and education, and with limited awareness of HIV infection and testing. Also Training adolescents to prevent infection. Secondly, due to high levels of poverty in rural areas and urban slums, girls are more susceptible to paid-for sex either because they have to feed their siblings or have needs of their own that require them to make money.
This also exposes them to multiple sexual partners, which again, increases their risk of HIV infection. This is also a challenge that must get a solution. Lastly, it is true that with the use of mobile phones, society has become more permissive and parents are not always aware of what content their teenage and adolescent children are being exposed to. As a result, young people are exposed to sexual content that can lead them to experiment, and because not all have benefitted from reproductive health education, they end up engaging in unprotected sex, often with older people, thus increasing their risk of HIV infection.
That is why the government should regulate these social media platforms. But with this, all that is needed urgently is an awareness campaign targeting young people to learn about how to stay safe. However, care must be taken to ensure the campaign does not stigmatize those already infected. Knowledge is power and the best way to equip Kenyan youth to protect themselves from the alarming infection rate is to teach them how HIV is transmitted and how they can avoid infection. Past campaigns worked best because they brought together peer educators, experts, religious institutions, government, and healthcare providers. Failure to that the country might suffer from an uncontrollable HIV crisis