What affect do AIDS have on a person’s every day life and population in Kenya? There has been a worldwide problem of AIDS for many years, but it has become a major issue in sub- Saharan Africa. Kenya is experiencing this problem and has many people living a very difficult and miserable life. Every day life with AIDS has put stress on the population. There needs to be some kind of government action or support to put an end to this disaster. The difficulty of living with AIDS has become a very important worldwide issue. AIDS have been a widespread disease for many years.
It is sexually transmitted and can also be spread by contact with blood. AIDS are most commonly found in places such as Kenya, where there is poverty and people living in a poor society. In Kenya there are approximately 1. 5 million people living with AIDS/HIV. The number of children with this disease is about 180,000. Poor societies do not have the research and knowledge necessary to prevent and make people aware of AIDS. This information is important to have in order to provide and maintain a more healthy environment. Many people around the world are living stressful and miserable lives because of this disease. Every day they are battling an illness that will some day end their life.
People in sub- Saharan Africa have to adapt to a whole new lifestyle once they are diagnosed with AIDS. In order to stay comfortable and maintain a normal life there are customs that must be followed. People living with AIDS are also looked down upon in society and have to overcome that humility. AIDS in sub- Saharan Africa is killing many people every year. People suffering from AIDS have a daily struggle of surviving. (The history of HIV and AIDS in Kenya) (“Avert”) Many of Kenya’s citizens are battling this vicious, life threatening disease. The country is one of the top leaders in having the most people infected with AIDS.
Nearly 1. 2 million children have been orphaned because of this terrible sickness. It has torn apart the lives of many people and many families and is continuing to do so now. These poor societies can not afford education and knowledge to help get informed and therefore do not have much they can do in order to prevent AIDS. In 2009 80,000 people died from AIDS related illnesses. This is a huge problem in the country of Kenya and needs to be put under control. Because of all the deaths and poor health that comes with this disease it has put a hurt on the life expectancy. In Kenya the life expectancy is 58 years old.
This is a very low age for death to be approaching someones life. It is imperative that people become aware of these statistics and do something to educate the societies in Kenya. The country’s AIDS/ HIV prevalence peaked in the year 2000 and has significantly declined in the past years. It is down to around 6. 3 percent which is a dramatic reduction from what it used to be. This decline is thought to be partially due to an increase in education and awareness. The death rates have scared people and is now forcing them to become more involved in taking better care of their lives.
Mothers are also frightened that their children will become infected with the disease which results in becoming more careful and protective. Almost every day a child becomes an orphan because AIDS has taken their parents from them. This results in the child being on their own and becoming more susceptible to getting the disease. The cycle will continue to repeat as long as the people of Kenya do not get educated and fail to become more aware. (“AIDS Newsletter”) AIDS can be greatly prevented in many ways and aids prevention is becoming more publicized throughout all of Africa, including Kenya. One simple and major way AIDS can be prevented is the use of a condom. When 12.
8 percent of Kenya’s population was diagnosed with AIDS in 2001, the Kenyan governments aggressively encouraged the use of condoms. Millions of condoms have been distributed to the Kenyan citizens since 2001. Less than 50 percent of the men and women in Kenya were reported that they used condoms during intercourse. More effort needs to be given to make certain that the citizens of Kenya have access to condoms because their have been many rumors and reports of people washing and re using their condoms because of the lack of condoms they have access to. Also, HIV and AIDS education is an important aspect that can help prevent this disease.
In Kenya, it is required to take an AIDS education course. Kenya government has also given many campaigns to acquire people’s attention towards the awareness of AIDS. Therefore, many people in Kenya are aware of the issue and can recognize the symptoms and are knowledgeable of how to decrease their chances of being infected with AIDS.
Yet, a study shows that many students in public schools do not realize the importance of AIDS prevention because of the lack of education, awareness and support from teachers and parents. (“UNAIDS”) Kenya is slowly recovering from this epic illness and becoming more informed but many people in the country are still not getting the AIDS prevention and treatment services that are necessary.
The government must step in and make health more a priority and enforce mandatory health evaluations. Kenya needs to pay more attention to how AIDS is affecting specific groups of people. The government also needs to increase the amount of people that are aware of their AIDS status in order to prevent the spread of the disease. It is imperative to do a better job informing and educating those who need help. Studies have already concluded that educating the public results in decreasing the percent of people with AIDS.