NEPHAK - HIV in Kenya

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NEPHAK GETS NEW HEAD
The board of NEPHAK has appointed Mr Edward Marienga as the new head of the network. Marienga fills the position left vacant by Inviolata Mmbwavi who left to pursue other interests in November last year.
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NEPHAK RECIEVED A DELEGATION FROM THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS
On August 21st 2008 NEPHAK hosted a delegation from the United States congress. The delegation which is in the country on a fact finding mission includes staff of several members of the US Congress. The trip organised by Results Educational Fund, a charitable organisation based in the United states.
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NEPHAK TRAINS 100 MORE AMBASADORS FOR TB

NEPHAK took its war against TB among PLHAs a notch higher by training an additional 100 ambassadors on July 23-25th. The 100 ambasadors commissioned on 1st August 2008 brings the total number to 200 across the country.
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UPCOMNG EVENTS

Nephak In Kuria & Transmara Districts
PLHIV & Truckers in Unique approach to HIV response

The HIV and AIDS epidemic in Kenya was first discovered in 1984 and in that year seven deaths were recorded. The Ministry of Health immediately responded by creating a National AIDS Committee to lead the nation in combating the disease. This developed into an expanded programme when STDs control was included and the secretariat was renamed NASCOP. In 1997 a Sessional paper No. 4 was formulated to provide a policy framework to guide the national response. This was endorsed by the cabinet and has since then provided guidance to the national response.
Despite all this effort and in a short span of eighteen years, Kenya has lost more than 1.5 million people and more than 2.0 million others are estimated to have the virus at present. This has generated more than 1 million orphans. There has been significant economic distraction and devastation in addition to this tremendous human destruction
It is estimated that each patient requires almost half a million Kenya shillings per year (approx US $6,950) to be able to access comprehensive care and support. About 75% of all hospital beds are currently occupied by HIV and AIDS related illnesses. The country is said to be losing about Kshs. 200 million (approx US $2.8 m) daily in form of reduced work productivity, absenteeism from the work place, deaths and funeral expenses, and replacements and training of new personnel.
It is as a result of this impact of disease on the country that the president declared the epidemic a national disaster in November 1999. During this declaration the then Head of state said:

‘’AIDS is not just a serious threat to our social and economic development, but it s a real threat to our very existence. It has reduced many families to a status of beggars…… No family in Kenya remains untouched by the suffering and death caused by AIDS……… and the real solution of the spread of AIDS lies with each and every one of us’’ – Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi

A National AIDS Control Council (NACC) was formed to spearhead the national response and an expanded Kenya National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan 2005/6 – 2009/10 (KNASP) has been developed by the Joint AIDS programme review (JAPR) to replace the 2000 to 2005 Strategic Plan which came to a close on June 30th, 2005. This new plan will guide the national effort for the next five years using the same multi-sectoral approach. Each organization is expected to exploit its strength and competence and apply this on the HIV and AIDS programmes as part of national plan implementation.
Due to concerted efforts from both the civil society organizations and the public sector, the national prevalence of HIV and AIDS in Kenya is slowly coming down, though it must be noted that the number of new infections, especially among young girls continue to rise alarmingly. The current national HIV prevalence in Kenya is 6.1%
The government is currently faced with difficult trade offs along three core lines.

Treating AIDS versus preventing further infections of HIV.
Treating AIDS versus treating other illnesses
Spending on health versus spending on other equally demanding public services.

NEPHAK must strengthen its advocacy to ensure that access to treatment is a priority for the government and that comprehensive health care services are in place in all districts to ensure that those reaching the stage of AIDS are adequately cared for and supported.
AIDS has brought to the spotlight many social weaknesses and other ethical, legal, and economic issues which society was previously not concerned with. AIDS has increased demands on social services faster than ever before as both the skilled manpower are lost from the workforce and facilities over-stretched. In Kenya, like in many other sub-Saharan countries, the survivors of the HIV and AIDS pandemic - predominantly children and the elderly - are dependants left without economic support and who have already overwhelmed traditional systems of adoption. The elderly persons, left with responsibility of rearing the children have themselves lost regular sources of income from their working adult children to AIDS.
Stigma and discrimination continue to be a big hindrance to prevention, care, support and the mitigation of socio-economic impact of HIV and AIDS in the nation. NEPHAK has a huge role to play to ensure that stigma directed at people living with HIV and AIDS is reduced
With the launch of NEPHAK in September 2004, there was a new resolve for PLWHA organizations and individuals to fully participate in the national response by complementing government efforts as part of NEPHAK social responsibility. A countrywide programme for NEPHAK will soon be in place after necessary institutional infrastructures have been developed availability of resources. The management and effective implementation of the NEPHAK strategy will depend on a strong foundation of NEPHAK itself, and it is hoped that the current suggested restructuring and re-organization will result in a strong effectively decentralized network capable of carrying out its stated mandates

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