Report: HIV Infections Highest Amongst Young Kenyan Women Because Of Sleeping With Older Men

According to the National Aids and STI Control Programme (NASCOP), HIV prevalence is high among male aged 35 -45 and women 15 -24 because of the relationship between the two.

Currently, an estimated 1.5 million people in Kenya live with HIV and out of this number, youth account for 280,000. Out of the 50percent, adolescent girls and young women are at 21percent.

Report also indicate that of the sampled women in the program, only 17% insists on using condoms during sex. “When you talk about new infections, these are people who are HIV negative today but tomorrow they are HIV positive…the increased numbers among the youth are worrying,” Anthony Chazara, LVCT Health, Youth Programme Officer said.

Transactional sex popularly known as sponsorship arrangement has become a norm in the community with the report linking poverty and peer influence from other successful women pushing young girls into sleeping with older women for cash and other favors.

What this mean is the young men who date these young women are as well tied in the web of infection since they assume faithfulness but unknowingly sharing the same partner with older men who’re having multiple partners  It is such a big worry.