OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of the conference were:

• To establish a national baseline for future monitoring and evaluation activities

• To provide groundwork for the establishment of a paper database of individuals, groups and organizations in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

• To identify gaps and weaknesses in the implementation of the current National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan and make recommendations.

• To influence policy and enactment of legislation to manage HIV/AIDS and mitigate its impact on development in the country.

• Make recommendations on the way  forward.

The conference brought together various stakeholders in the HIV/AIDS field from all over the country to share their experiences, successes and failures in responding to the National Disaster.

Recommendations and output from the Conference are to be utilized by implementing, management and coordination agencies in the country. The conference also served as a major tool in information, monitoring and evaluation of anti-HIV/AIDS plans, programs and initiatives.

A First in Many Ways:

Since October, 1999, when President Daniel arap Moi declared HIV/AIDS a National Disaster, there have been numerous conferences and seminars on HIV/AIDS in the country, but none had been planned to get feedback from the national constituency that has been responding in various ways to the problem.

Prof. Kihumbu Thairu, a director of KAWI, gave to the participants four ways in which the conference was unique:

• The conference was a representative sample of the majority stakeholders in the national struggle against HIV/AIDS in Kenya, which include community HIV/AIDS workers from rural communities, social behavioural scientists, biomedical researchers, NGO and Government functionaries, representatives of diplomatic missions and development partners, and people living with the disease.

• It was the first of its kind entirely funded by Kenyans which was a clear sign that Kenyans are at last internalizing the HIV/AIDS disaster as a threat to their national survival.

• All those involved in KAWI are volunteers, and those who operate the AIDS Hotline that gives guidance and counseling services to the public are trained and qualified counselors.

• This was the first conference since the declaration of HIV/AIDS as a National Disaster which brought together representatives from all districts.

     These participants are evidently pleased with the proceedings at the conference.

NACC Director Applauds KAWI Approach

Dr. Margaret Gachaara, the director of the National AIDS Control Council told the congregation that the NACC has been busy coordinating the development of guidelines as well as tools for monitoring and evaluation, including a community initiative manual and financial management manuals, adding that the main implementers of NACC programmes are NGOs and Community based Organizations.

Thanking KAWI for taking a lead in bringing stakeholders together by organizing the conference, Dr. Gachaara said she had seen the mandates of KAWI and agreed that they fell within NACC priorities. She pointed out that KAWI was spearheading a unique area - development of programmes that are Afro-centric and community based. The director further reckoned the approach would lead to the development of appropriate programmes that would in turn assist NACC to come out with solutions that are appropriate to the Kenyan situation.

SEMINAR CALLS FOR EMERGENCY LEGISLATION: 

The seminar deliberated along six thematic areas to develop workable programmes and recommendations to be forwarded to the Government and the Task Force on laws related to HIV/AIDS.

Among other recommendations, the conference asked the government to invoke emergency laws to deal with the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

See the recommendations here>>>

Pictures from the Conference

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High Table: Deputy British High Commissioner Paul Harvey, Nation Media Group Broadcasting Division Managing Director Cyrille Nabutola, Deputy Director, NACC and South African High Commisisoner Representative

Words of wisdom: Journalist Caleb Atemi, Member of Parliament Paul Muite and reknown city doctor Daniel Kabithe exchange views at the conference.

Heavy responsibilities: University of Nairobi Medical students discuss their presentation at the conference.

Envoy: Britain Supporting Kenya

The Deputy British High Commissioner to Kenya, Mr. Paul Harvey, told the conference that he was personally committed to the fight against AIDS in Kenya because of his own experience. He stated that AIDS had been contained in Britain because the society there is highly educated and moved to combat AIDS when it was still confined in high risk groups.

Ambassador Harvey said Britain was supporting Kenya to contain the scourge through funding from DFID, and called on other donors to fund the activities of organizations fighting the pandemic, to check its impact on Kenyan society.

Legislator Supports KAWI Initiative

Opposition legislator Paul Muite said that parliament was very supportive of the on going initiatives to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country. He urged the KAWI management to forge ahead and if necessary ask for lobbying facilities from the parliamentary Committee on Health so that they can be able to influence legislation on HIV/AIDS.

He however cautioned that legislation was not enough and stressed that there was need to have a multi-sectoral approach to the fight against AIDS.

Government to Consider Conference Outcome: Minister of State

While opening the conference, Minister of State in the Office of the President, Hon. Marsden Madoka expressed optimism that that the conference would provide a platform for reviewing the progress of the country's response since the declaration of HIV/AIDS as a national disaster.

The minister added it would also give the Government and the public the opportunity to focus on how best to harness and exploit the human resource that abound in the country's various sectors to better manage the national response.

Hon. Madoka urged the participants to come up with tangible recommendations and action-oriented resolutions, and promised that the Government would take into consideration the outcome of the conference in the overall management of the AIDS disaster.