Health

Joyce Kebchirchir was a single mother of one at the age of 20 and even though she had no plans of having a second child in the near future, she had no idea how she was going to manage that.  “I only knew about condoms and pills,” says Joyce. “This was risky because sometimes you can forget to take the pills or use condoms which increase the chances getting unwanted pregnancy.  I was always scared.”

Kenyan Minister for Public Health and Sanitation Beth Mugo launched a national campaign to stop new HIV infections among children by 2015 and to keep their mothers alive.   The new initiative, announced in November 2012, is part of a commitment made by Kenya at the 2011 United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS in New York.  It marks an important milestone in the national AIDS programme in Kenya.

Mary Amanya, a resident of Bushiri village Kakamega in Western Kenya, appreciates the mosquito net she received in July, 2012. Mary is an elderly woman who lives with her husband and grandchildren. Not one member of the family has visited a hospital or suffered any malaria symptoms since she and her family received mosquito nets.

To mark the occassion of World AIDS Day 2012, USAID Kenya Mission Director, Karen Freeman, the Director of Medical Services, Dr. Francis Kimani and the KEMSA Chief Executive Officer, Mr. John Munyu signed an agreement that will provide direct funding to the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) to buy, store and deliver up to $50 million of U.S. Government-funded medical equipment and supplies.

Today, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, launched a World AIDS Day Poster Contest.  Youth can submit a poster using the theme “Working Together for an AIDS-Free Generation.

Click here for full contest details

Click here to download the World AIDS Day Information Flyer