- Achokor said it is important to address the triple challenge, which hinders efforts to eliminate AIDS as a public health issue in the country.
- She said sexual violence could lead to both HIV transmission and pregnancy.
Image: FILE
Health stakeholders in West Pokot have called for collaboration to tackle the triple threat posed by teen pregnancies, rising HIV infections and Gender-Based Violence.
In a meeting that brought together officials from the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council, West Pokot County department of health and national government administration officers and community gatekeepers, the participants were asked to prioritise eradication of the three maladies in their areas.
The meeting in Kapenguria town, also discussed the critical nature of the triple threat in the county and highlighted the need to eradicate sexual violence against women and girls.
The health stakeholders called upon government officials at both national and county levels, private sector entities, foundations, NGOs, and other organisations working for women's rights to unite in the battle against violence targeting women and girls.
Speaking during the meeting, Nelly Achokor, the Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections Coordinator and Gender Based Violence Focal person for West Pokot, said the triple threat faced by adolescents and young women aged between 10 and 19 is worrying and the need to end the vice.
She emphasised that the triple threat not only jeopardised the health and socio-economic well-being of girls and women, but also violated their fundamental rights, especially their right to receive education.
Achokor said it is important to address the triple challenge, which hinders efforts to eliminate Aids as a public health issue in the country.
She said sexual violence could lead to both HIV transmission and pregnancy, adding that teenage pregnancy and sexual violence could result in enduring physical and mental health difficulties.
She further noted that adolescent pregnancy in some communities served as a proxy for child marriage and Female Genital Mutilation, both of which violated basic human rights and child rights.
She said the total fertility rate for women in the county was 6.9 children per woman, which was higher than the national average of 3.4.
The health expert further disclosed that teenage pregnancy in West Pokot stands at 36 per cent which is 2nd highest in the country.
She noted that over an eight-year period, West Pokot has witnessed a seven per cent increase in teenage pregnancy, rising from 29.4 per cent in 2014 to 36.3 per cent in 2022.
Achokor further revealed that within the county, there were 4,144 people living with HIV and active on Antiretroviral Therapy and being managed in various ART sites.
She also informed health stakeholders that adolescents and young people (15-24 years) contributed to 52 per cent of all new HIV infections in the county.
Calling for a comprehensive strategy to combat the triple threat, Achokor said a comprehensive campaign has been initiated to tackle the issues of HIV, teenage pregnancies, and gender-based violence.
Moses Yatich, the coordinator for Trans Nzoia and West Pokot county for NSDCC, stressed the importance of national government administration officers and community gatekeepers in combating the triple threat menace in the community. He urged them to take a proactive role in safeguarding the rights of girls and women.
Kapenguria Division Assistant County Commissioner Ruth Wachera highlighted the link between violence against adolescent girls and young women and the increased risk of HIV infections and other sexually transmitted diseases.
She said gender-based violence and teenage pregnancies were indicators of the heightened risks of new HIV infections in the country.
"Exposure to violence has detrimental effects on women's overall well-being, including their mental, sexual, reproductive, social, and economic health," Wachera said.
The commissioner called on chiefs and health stakeholders to develop strategies to address the prevalence, severity, and predictors of violence against women and girls, while acknowledging its impact on their lives.
She emphasised that adolescent girls who have experienced violence have lower aspirations and faced obstacles in achieving their goals compared to those who have not encountered violence.
Wachera said it is important to eliminate the triple threat as it negatively affects school enrolment and performance.
Additionally, she said exposure to violence has been associated with an increased risk of acquiring HIV infections from forced sexual encounters with infected individuals and hindered ability to negotiate safe sex practices.
Wachera reminded administrators that they have been educated on how to effectively address these urgent challenges, urging them to take action.
She called upon government officials at both national and county levels, private sector entities, foundations, NGOs, and other organisations to unite in the battle against the triple threat.