HIV AIDS

The area that KAP is operating in, is characterized by a very high HIV prevalence. Estimates range from 20% to 30%.

KAP is currently only focussing on HIV education. This is done by group of facilitators who are trained and funded by medical students from Bristol University. The facilitators visit schools in the area four times a year. Plans are being made to expand the number of visits and the sort of groups that are visited. HIV education can also be done in women groups, during outreach clinics and in church groups.

In the near future KAP is planning to expand it's activities concerning HIV and AIDS. Ideas are being made for a network of home-based carers and VCT centre (a Voluntary Counselling and Testing centre, where people can be tested and can also get counselling) at the hospital. All this depends on possible funding.

Some facts about HIV education:

• 10 new facilitators have just been recruited and trained before commencing teaching. The facilitators work on a voluntary basis, with a token salary of Ksh110/- per session plus meals and expenses.

•  Teaching is currently carried out in each of the five KAP schools, at a rate of fifteen sessions per year, which is once per term in each school.  Sessions typically last 1.5 hours.

• The basis for the teaching is Abstinence, Be faithful, use Condoms (Some schools request the substitution of Care or Consideration for C).  There is a problem in some of the schools where some of the teachers disagree with the mentioning of condoms altogether.

• Occasional Seminars are provided for the Facilitators, mainly by Dr Oteng at the KAP Hospital.  This does not happen frequently or on a regular basis.