Kisumu: Nominated Senator Catherine Mumma has teamed up with the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) to launch a campaign to tackle the 'triple threat' of teenage pregnancies, new HIV infections, and gender-based violence (GBV) in Kisumu County. The initiative, targeting secondary schools in Nyakach sub-county, aims to equip adolescents with accurate information and life skills to combat the growing threat that has left many young people vulnerable.
According to Kenya News Agency, Kisumu County continues to register some of the highest numbers of new HIV infections among teenagers nationally, presenting a challenge in the fight against the virus. Speaking at Guu Mixed Secondary School in Nyakach during one of the sensitisation forums, Senator Mumma emphasized the need for the campaign to reverse the alarming trends in the county. She noted that Kisumu bears the highest HIV disease burden in the country and ranks number one in national prevalence, calling for concerted efforts to address the contributing factors.
Senator Mumma highlighted the rising numbers attributed to factors such as peer pressure, poverty, and the lack of sex education in schools. She expressed concern over increasing cases of incest and sexual abuse within families, revealing that girls as young as nine years old have been molested by relatives. The Senator also noted that many girls engage in transactional sex due to period poverty, leading to unwanted pregnancies and HIV infections. She urged the government to intervene and provide sanitary pads in schools.
Mumma distributed free sanitary pads to the girls and called on the Ministry of Education to ensure their availability in schools nationwide. She stressed that sanitary towels should be considered a basic need, akin to school books, to keep girls in school. Additionally, she revealed that the Senate is reviewing legislation to strengthen laws addressing gender-based violence, citing existing loopholes hindering justice for survivors.
NSDCC Regional Coordinator for Nyanza and Western, Steven Oyugi, emphasized the importance of school-based engagements in confronting the triple threat. He disclosed that Kisumu has 135,000 people living with HIV, the highest among counties, with 53,000 of them being men. Nyakach Sub-county ranks fourth in new infections within Kisumu, with a current HIV prevalence rate of 14 percent. Oyugi praised the partnership with Senator Mumma as a strategic step in closing gaps in awareness, access to protection, and provision of support services.
The campaign is expected to expand across more schools in the area, with both parties reaffirming their commitment to safeguard the future of Kisumu's children.