HIV/AIDS: A MULTI-SECTORAL AND COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO A NATIONAL DISASTER

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE MBAGATHI CONFERENCE ON "THE WAY FORWARD"

The participants at the Mbagathi Conference organized by KAWI made their recommendations on the best way to tackle the HIV/AIDS menace in society. These participants were from every niche in society including religious leaders and people infected with the HIV virus.

Abbreviations:

NACC - National AIDS Control Council

VCT - Voluntary Counseling and Testing

ARV - Anti-Retrovirals

PTA - Parents/Teachers Association

         1.   Advocacy and Prevention

• Revisit and understand the African cultural value system and help propagate the HIV/AIDS facts to each community using their specific cultural value system.

• Media should repackage HIV/AIDS information for dissemination,  i.e. Instead of inundating the public with horror and dry facts, analyze critically the socio-economic, cultural, political and demographic implications of HIV/AIDS data, and make it user-friendly.

• No particular approach is any longer necessary and sufficient to use nationally. Due to Kenya's different cultural origins, certain messages based on specific cultural backgrounds have more impact hence more useful than generic messages routinely used. 

• Reporting of HIV/AIDS should be mandatory and routine as a step to destigmatize HIV/AIDS infected people. Confidentiality will forever complicate and perpetuate the epidemic.

   

  2.  Treatment of HIV/AIDS, Care and Support of the Infected and Affected

• Amend the Hippocratic oath to allow doctors to disclose their patient's serostatus.

• Counseling services should be tailored to suit individual psychological preparedness.

• HIV/AIDS patients should be encouraged to form post-test clubs where they can meet to share ideas and encourage each other.

• Streamline the pharmaceutical industries.

• Referral centres from the provincial hospital level down the dispensaries at the local level should be included in the VCT package to ensure minimal care for those who test positive and require medical attention.

• Profilement of the patient before prescribing ARVs

• Special units dealing with HIV positive patients only should be set up within the hospitals.

• Training should be carried out on logistics of administering of ARVs and possibly have radio programmes aired at the most appropriate time to prescribe how ARVs should be used.

3.   Mitigation of Social and Economic Impact of HIV/AIDS

• Introduce and intensify community evangelical campaigns through revivals and spiritual counseling by religious leaders.

• Train school teachers and parents through the PTAs to handle adolescent sexuality issues with confidence.

• Mitigation of socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS should include poverty reduction measures.

• The Kenyan public should observe strict moral codes borrowing a leaf from Islamic states such a Saudi Arabia, Iran Iraq among others who have a near zero HIV/AIDS incidence.

• Link VCT to home-based care and support services at community level.

4.   Information, Monitoring, Evaluation and Research

• NACC ought to move fast in collecting baseline data and inventory of resources being currently used in prevention and control activities. This would make monitoring , evaluation, management and coordination of intervention programmes easier and streamline national efforts towards the war.

• Undertake more behavioral research to inform HIV/AIDS IEC development.

• There is need for continued updating of the HIV/AIDS data/statistics to keep up with the changing epidemiology of the epidemic instead of replaying data that is obsolete.

• Form a media research institute where journalists in need of information on HIV/AIDS can carry out research.

• Avoid duplication of similar HIV/AIDS communication programmes instead design programmes that will have an impact on the intended target groups and that will bring about change of behaviour.

• Use areas of interest on the target group, e.g. Internet for the youth.

• Package the information in a way that is appropriate to the audience. Presentation of ideas should take into account the background and prejudices of targeted audiences.

5.   Management and Coordination

• NACC should make the strategic plan available to all stakeholders.

• National guidelines of HIV/AIDS programme management and coordination should be prepared and circulated to all stakeholders.

• Youth and children definitions should be made clear and their representation ensured at the NACC decision-making organs.

• NACC needs to liaise with other organizations and seek the involvement of people in different professions.

• There is need for accountability and transparency in the management of funds channeled toward HIV/AIDS activities.

• Bureaucracy and corruption need to be dealt with as they hinder effective response.

• Enhance capacity building at all levels including setting up of resource centres at the grassroots.

• Incorporate HIV/AIDS in other development matters.

6.   HIV/AIDS Policy, Legislation and Human Rights Development

• Provide for National "Census" on preventive diagnosis every 4 years for all those aged 14 years and above (funded by the AIDS levy).

• Carry out preventive diagnosis of all those joining secondary schools, colleges, universities and the disciplined forces and corrective institutions.

• HIV positive persons should be accorded rights similar to those of persons with disabilities.

• Declare a state of emergency.

• Criminalize deliberate HIV/AIDS infection of others and amend section 186 of the Penal Code to make the offence a felony rather then a misdemeanor.

• Devote 3% of VAT collection to finance programmes on HIV/AIDS management.

               ***KAWI acknowledges the input of all the participants in coming up with these and other wise and innovative ideas to rid our society of the HIV/AIDS threat.

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