Eldoret: The National Syndemic Disease Control Council (NSDCC), in collaboration with the Media Council of Kenya, conducted a sensitization forum for journalists in the North Rift Region to equip them with requisite skills and knowledge to tell and report on health-sensitive stories, especially on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis. The journalists were urged to avoid sensationalist headlines and terms that would disparage people living with HIV, advocating instead for ethical reporting while respecting confidentiality and privacy.
According to Kenya News Agency, the media practitioners were introduced to the ethos of journalism and storytelling techniques in health reporting, such as adopting AI for data analytics, fact-checking, and automated reporting. These techniques can assist in summarizing medical research, translating complex health data, and automating routine reports on disease outbreaks. Wanyama Chebusiri, the Strategic Media and Communication Advisor at NSDCC, emphasized the importance of embracing technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI), noting its fundamental role in transforming personalized health journalism.
NSDCC Regional HIV Coordinator for North Rift, Faith Kosgei, highlighted the key role journalists could play in supporting the Kenyan 'Triple Threat' agenda, which aims to address and eliminate the combined challenges of new HIV infections, gender-based violence (GBV), and adolescent pregnancies. She explained that teenage pregnancy is an indicator of heightened risk for HIV infection and that sexual and gender-based violence increase the risk of HIV. Adolescent pregnancies are often associated with negative health and societal outcomes, leading to cycles of poverty, poor education, and unemployment.
Kosgei pointed out the alarming rate of new HIV infections across the counties along the transport corridor, noting that Uasin Gishu is among the top nine counties contributing to 51 percent of the new HIV infections in the country. According to NSDCC Kenya HIV Estimates (2013-2023), these counties include Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru, Migori, Homabay, Uasin Gishu, Siaya, Mombasa, and Kakamega. The report also reveals that 16,752 new HIV infections were recorded in 2023, with females accounting for more than 69 percent of new HIV infections among adults.
The government has developed a Commitment Plan to End the Triple Threat 2023-2030, which involves both state and non-state actors to combat the multifaceted problem affecting adolescent girls and young women. 'Managing 'Triple Threat' requires a layered, multi-stakeholder approach that involves the entire community and promotes investment in education, empowerment, and gender equality,' said Kosgei.
Uasin Gishu County AIDS and STI Coordinating Officer (CASCO), Daniel Bett, stressed the need for sustainable platforms to bridge knowledge gaps among young people on HIV prevention methods. Bett noted a reduction in condom use among women since 2008, coupled with low condom distribution. The Kenya Medical Supply Authority (KEMSA) report 2023 indicated that Kenya distributed 14.6 condoms per man per year against a global target of 40 condoms per man per year.
According to NSDCC Kenya HIV Estimates 2024, the national HIV prevalence in 2023 was 3.3 percent, with a total of 1,378,457 people living with HIV, including 71,433 children between 0-14 years. AIDS-related deaths stood at 20,480. Kenya ranks 7th globally in terms of People Living with HIV (PLHIV).