01/12/2025
WORLD AIDS DAY....
~Have you read the report?🫢
Before we snooze off😴, today, 1st December, was Worlds Aids Day.
On this day, amid a significant FUNDING crisis, WHO joins partners and communities to commemorate World AIDS Day 2025, under the theme "Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response", calling for sustained political leadership, international cooperation, and human-rights-centred approaches to end AIDS by 2030.
I noted with utter concern, ON OUR DIGITAL SPACES, that the day was given low recognition by our leaders as well as Kenyans themselves DESPITE a report that was released by the National Syndemic Disease Control Council (NSDCC) revealing CRITICAL new data for the nation: Ama tulijifanya hatujaiona!🤭🤭
⏬️⏬️⏬️
The Report stated that:
‼️There is an INCREASE in New Cases:
~New infections rose by 19%, from 16,752 cases in 2023 to 19,991 cases in 2024.
‼️Demographics Affected:
~FEMALES accounted for the majority of new infections (13,236 cases), nearly double the male cases (6,869). Hii imenichanganya. Kwani it is a case of infecting each other (sisi kwa sisi?🤔). You get my confusion? I honestly beg for an explanation.
~YOUTH aged 15-34 were the MOST affected group, making up 74%⚠️ of all new infections. ABSOLUTELY worrying. This is the most energetic, vibrant age group, key in our Nation's Economic growth. Itakuwaje?
‼️Geographic Epicenter:
~🍁Nairobi County (Kanairo) recorded the HIGHEST number of new cases (3,045), followed by 🍁Migori, 🍁Kisumu, and 🍁Homa Bay counties.
‼️AIDS-Related Deaths:
~The country also saw an INCREASE in AIDS-related deaths, from 18,473 the previous year to 21,007. People are dying banaaaaa!
With Nairobi County been mentioned as LEADING with new cases, I was quickly reminded of the song, 'Nairobi' by Bensoul, featuring Sauti Sol. In the song, the artists sings🎶🎵,
'Nairobi
Yule anakupea, pia ananipea
Akikuletea, ananiletea
Wanakula fare
Sote tunashare
Ogopa sana mamaaa'
🫢🫢🫢
This Report as well as Bensoul's song points at the probable reckless promiscuity prevalent in Nairobi County and no wonder the high numbers of New HIV infections. I ain't an HIV expert, hence am asking, 'kwani people stopped using protection?🫢 Thought stuff like 'Trust, D***x, Kiss condoms', are supposed to offer protection!? I am however reading elsewhere that NO CONDOM is 100%. The only way therefore, to COMPLETELY PREVENT the s*xual transmission of STIs and pregnancy is, ABSTINENCE.
People, hii tutawezana kweli? When some of the key actors (especially young women) ni mimba tu wanaongopa?! They will engage in unprotected s*x and in the 'morning after', head to the nearest pharmacy to get P2 pills. Wanazikula k**a njugu!
With such a trend, eliminating HIV by 2030 mimi naona ni k**a ndoto ya mchana!
Yenyewe hii broad topic of HIV inanipiga chenga. Wacha niiwachie tu hapo. But not before I link it with Gender-Based Violence.
Gender-based violence (GBV) and HIV are interconnected, with GBV acting as both a cause and consequence of HIV infection, particularly for women and girls. GBV, including s*xual violence, child marriage, and forced s*x, increases the risk of HIV transmission through physical injury and limits a person's ability to negotiate safer s*x practices or access prevention services. Conversely, living with HIV can lead to further stigma, abuse, and discrimination affecting mostly the female gender.
As we campaign against GBV during the current 16 days of Activism, let us amplify our voices, calling out the prevailing gender atrocities exposing women & girls to HIV & STI's infections.