A scramble for free HIV/AIDS test kits on Thursday characterised the International condoms day celebrations held at the Siaya Institute of Technology as students struggled to get a piece.
The organisers of the event, who had come with just two cartons, were forced to send for more kits from the adjacent Siaya County Referral Hospital to satisfy the huge demand by the students.
Addressing the occasion, the coordinator of the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission, Zilpha Imbuye encouraged the use of self-test kits, adding that it will help in the war against HIV/AIDS transmission.
“Once one knows his or her status, he or she can go to a health facility and be put on anti-retroviral therapy or live a healthy life, depending on the outcome,” she said.
Imbuye said the Department of Health in Siaya was encouraging the use of condoms to help tackle the triple threat of HIV/Aids, unplanned pregnancies, and gender-based violence.
“As Siaya County, we really celebrate this day because we are among the high HIV burden counties, with a prevalence of 9.8 percent,” she said.
Imbuye said that over 97,000 people in Siaya live with HIV/AIDS in Siaya and are on care and treatment.
Speaking on behalf of Abbott Rapid Diagnostics Limited who donated the free HIV test kits, team leader, Josephat Kabiru urged the youth and Kenyans at large to embrace the use of the portable kits to test themselves.
Kabiru said that his organisation has rolled out blood-based test kits which were more accurate and reliable.
“With the test kit, one can test at home and later visit the nearest health facility, depending on the test results,” he said adding that the kits are available in the market.
He however cautioned the youth against indulging in irresponsible sex.
“To the youth, if you must, then use a condom for prevention,” he said.
Siaya Institute of Technology student leaders, Marion Atieno and Otieno Charles Omondi hailed the organisers of the event for sparing time to talk to the students on various topics, especially on the dangers of casual sex and the need to live a healthy life.
