HIV/AIDS

(i). HIV/AIDS Prevalence

The Kenya Demographic Health survey (2003) revealed that 6.7% of adults tested are HIV positive implying a total of 1.1 million adult Kenyans infected, of which about two thirds are women. In addition there are estimated to be 100,000 children living with HIV. The prevalence is 7%.

(ii). HIV Infections and AIDS Deaths

• It is estimated that approximately 65,000 adults and 25,000 children become infected with HIV in Kenya yearly. Prevalence data in Funyula suggests that the majority of non-paediatric infections occur among youth; especially young women aged 15-24 years, and young men under 30.
• The rate of AIDS death is estimated at about 150,000 per year among 15-49 years old. It is estimated that 1.7 million children under 18 are orphans, about half due to AIDS. As the cumulative total of AIDS deaths rises, the impact of these deaths on society will become increasingly severe.

(iii) The Socio-Economic Impact of HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS has major economic and social impact on individuals, families, communities and on society as a whole. It’s the most serious impediment to economic growth and development in Funyula, like other regions of the country.

• HIV/AIDS is undermining development across all sectors of the economy and society; negative impact on agriculture affects supply of labour, crop production, loss of knowledge and skills and at personal level the trauma associated with death.
• Educational services are suffering as teachers are lost to AIDS, and children drop out of school as parents die and household incomes fall.
• The direct cost and social problems associated with caring for increasing numbers of orphans, coupled with existing high poverty levels, are placing severe burdens on family and societal structures.
  

Against this background, the organization is implementing a Home Based Health Care to cater for HIV/AIDS affected and infected, the old, and malnutrition poor who can not afford health services. The proposed project is a one year plan and is expected to commence in February 2006, if the funds are approved.

(iv) Child Defilement

Although the Government might not be aware, it is widely believed that that the rampant defilements of children as young as infants is due to the fact that some unscrupulous tradition medicine men have been capitalizing on HIV/AIDS by cheating the infected that defiling a minor is a cure. Children are defiled and infected with HIV. PHAMA Foundation is to seriously address and bring this barbaric act to an end.