Early marriages blamed for HIV spread in girls
Pills of antiretroviral (ARV) medicine. Kenyans are living two years longer than they did 13 years ago despite the rising challenge of the HIV scourge that continues to ravage the mostly middle-aged productive population. FILE PHOTO |
What you need to know:
- The statistics read by the council’s coast regional coordinator, Mr Julius Koome, also said that five people in Mombasa County alone, will have died of HIV-related illnesses, as seven others will contract the virus by the end of today.
- Changamwe sub-county Aids and STI coordinator George Kissinger blamed some cultural practices for the increased spread of HIV among girls as compared to boys.
HIV is spreading faster in rural compared to urban areas, with at least 60 per cent of the population said to be infected, a report by the National Aids Control Council (NACC) has shown.
The statistics read by the council’s coast regional coordinator, Mr Julius Koome, also said that five people in Mombasa County alone, will have died of HIV-related illnesses, as seven others will contract the virus by the end of today.
“When HIV started spreading, it was reported more in the urban areas, but the trend is now shifting to the rural areas. Sixty per cent of HIV/Aids is in rural communities and still ravaging our population,” said Mr Koome in an interview with the Nation.
Mombasa is ranked ninth out of the 47 counties in terms of HIV burden and 17 in terms of high HIV infections, he said.
More women are infected, said the council official, with data showing that out of every three people who are infected with HIV, two are women. Girls are also three times at risk of getting the virus than boys.
CULTURE BLAMED
Changamwe sub-county Aids and STI coordinator George Kissinger blamed some cultural practices for the increased spread of HIV among girls as compared to boys.
Practices such as early marriages, especially among communities that do not value the education of girls, expose them to higher risks of infection, he said.
Mr Kissinger added that the infections are further accelerated by the fact that most of the girls who are married off to older men live in the rural areas where they lack access to HIV information and health services.
The older men were already exposed to sex and many partners as compared to the married off girls aged below 20 years, he said in a telephone interview.
Mr Kissinger noted that increased cases of sexual violence such as rape and defilement of young girls, whose sexual organs are also not fully developed, also leave them infected with the virus.
The two officials appealed to national and county governments to support HIV prevention and treatment programmes in their respective regions, to help in fighting the scourge.
