In an address to the United Nations executive board, head of the World Health Organization Margaret Chan said that Kenya’s struggle to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases is being made more difficult by post-election political unrest in the East African country, reports Reuters Africa (africa.reuters.com, 1/21).
Violence following a disputed Kenyan election in December resulted in an increased incidence of gang rapes in parts of the country. At the end of last year, 19 women—in addition to some men and boys—were admitted to Nairobi Women’s Hospital reporting they were sexually assaulted, putting them at greater risk for HIV infection. The turmoil is affecting Kenyans living with HIV as well, as many have been forced to abandon their homes without their antiretroviral medications, increasing the risk of drug resistance due to interrupted therapy.
Speaking before a 34-member board at a preparatory meeting for the WHO’s World Health Assembly, which will be held in May, Chan said, “We are seeing right now some stark evidence of the threat arising from instability and civil unrest.”
In addition to discussing the impact of an unstable political climate on Kenyans already living with and newly exposed to AIDS, Chan spoke of additional threats posed to this population by the region’s changing and unstable climate. Chan alerted international health experts that, as early as 2020, the region could be severely affected by ”droughts, floods, storms, heat-waves, air pollution, malnutrition, displaced populations, and water-borne and vector-borne disease.” She cautioned leaders in attendance to remain prepared.
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Beth Benne, RN, is HIV negative, but
the virus has impacted her life. She currently supervises a biannual HIV/AIDS awareness week as
the director of the student health center at Pierce College, a
community commuter school in Woodland Hills, California.
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Overheard in the Women's Forum
"I recently met a guy who is negative. I did tell him about my status and he decided to kiss me anyway (we didn't go further than that). But a day later, he called and said that he actually had a mouth ulcer that time when we kissed and he was very worried. Asked if he can get the virus from me that way. For that moment, I felt so insulted and yet I felt so bad. It was my first time having a contact with a "negative" guy."
