Tag: Health

Radio Queen Adelle Onyango Ropes In Kenyan and South African Stars On Her Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

“To honour my mum I got a bunch of celebrities from Kenya and South Africa to share messages of hope around breast cancer.”

NAIROBI, October 17, 2016 – Top radio presenter and social activist Adelle Onyango has roped in celebrities from Kenya and South Africa for a social media campaign on breast cancer.

Adelle says it took her a “little over a week. Just to reach out to different personalities and now the collection continues as we roll out the different messages,” adding, “I want survivors to know that we celebrate them, breast cancer patients and family members to know we recognize their battle and are with them in strength and prayer, and for men and women to know the importance of self breast exams and regular medical check ups!”

Some of the celebrities who have lent their voices to the campaign include TV news anchor Janet Mbugua, rapper Shaq The Yungin, Israeli – Kenyan act Gilad, DJ Mikey, actress Brenda Wairimu, singer Angela Mwandanda, rap queen Femi One and South African star Nandi Tshabalala.

Commenting about the messages sent out by the various celebrities, Adelle said the one that caught her off guard and made her emotionally was by Janet Mbugua.

“Janet knew my late mum and when I played her audio she speaks about my mum, about how strong my mum was and it really just brought tears to my eyes. My mum passed way from breast cancer her anniversary of her death was on March 31,” the Kiss FM breakfast show host said. “We got listeners texting us about their loved ones battling breast cancer and how alone they’d felt until we spoke about it! Also to see male listeners find out for the first time that they too can get breast cancer. Knowledge is power!” To honour her mother’s experiences and life, Adelle and her sisters are very conscious about breast cancer. “Well for us, being that our risk is higher we are conscious about early detection all year long,” Adelle said, “When my mum was alive we would go for the breast cancer walks she would organize. It’s been hard for us to do that stuff without her around because it makes it more apparent that she’s not here. Personally I think this is the most vocal I’ve gotten since she passed away I hope that means I’m getting stronger!”

So, is there enough been done for breast cancer? “More can be done. Cancer is such an expensive disease to treat! And without the treatment it just spreads. We need to subsidize these costs. And also in rural areas, arm people with knowledge. Many seek treatment when the cancer is on its late stages because they misdiagnosed the symptoms at the beginning and wasted time. Also as an individual what type of lifestyle are you living? Some risk factors are controllable, like healthier diets (less fats), not smoking, less drinking,more exercise!” Adelle said.

October 17, 2016
Student Sheds Tears After Adelle Onyango’s Self Awareness Talk At Machakos Girls High School

“...So the emotions just rolled down her face. It was so humbling. A reminder that, what I’m doing and my story, is influencing and inspiring so many people!” – Adelle Onyango

NAIROBI, September 10, 2016: Over the weekend, radio queen and social activist Adelle Onyango joined three other top female personalities in a mentorship event dubbed #NajijuaNajiamini held at Machakos Girls High School.

Hosted under Champs Foundation, the campaign is a brainchild of radio presenter Mwende Macharia, who hopes to use the campaign to “create awareness among young people aged 15-24 years on self empowerment, self confidence and self appreciation”.
For this edition Mwende invited Adelle together with radio presenter Mwalimu Rachel, gospel star Bahati and Liz Marami, the first female marine pilot.

“It’s powerful when, we, ladies in the media get together to inspire and mentor our little sisters. The illusion of jealousy is just that, an illusion. What we are doing is bigger than us,” Adelle explained.
Adelle gave a talk to the hall full of teenagers about the importance of being self aware.

“I spoke about my journey, roughing it out even after losing my parents, especially my mum. I gave a speech about speaking your success into existence. Moulding your identity but leaving room for you to grow and unlearn things. I emphasized about the company you keep, basically, you are the average of the four people you hang out with,” Adelle said.

After her talk, one of the student’s – Georgina – was overwhelmed with emotion and narrated how “she always listens to me since I joined Kiss FM. She even knew I joined in 2013!!!!! She always dreams about joining not any radio station but Kiss FM! So the emotions just rolled down her face,” an equally emotional Adelle said, “It was so humbling. And a reminder that, what I’m doing and my story, is influencing and inspiring so many people!”

This is part of Adelle’s desire to create social change and empower the girl child; she is also the brand ambassador of Intel® She Will Connect.

Recently, she joined over 150 women from Narok in a week long digital literacy programme that is aimed at giving women and girls the opportunity to acquire or improve their digital skills while expanding their understanding and use of technology.

A unique platform was used to dispense the training – a custom built trailer with a 40ft container that has been redesigned to become a digital classroom equipped with PCs, internet connectivity, digital screens and trainers that can accommodate 30 women at a time for training.

Narok became the first county to benefit from the Intel® She Will Connect Digital Caravan that will embark on a nationwide tour visiting other counties including Machakos, Muranga and Nairobi and will be a major boost to ongoing sector efforts to bride the large technology gender gap in Kenya.

Following the week long training in Narok, it is envisaged that the women and girls will have tools to enable them to attain skills to improve their education, enhance their political participation, have a stronger voice in their communities, and increase their income by connecting to new economic opportunities available online.

October 10, 2016
Here’s The Truth About Jameson Whisky Made In Kariobangi

Social Media has been awash with disturbing pictures that seem to show a downtown illegal liquor manufacturing plant. Photos of Jameson bottles has caused serious waves with many convinced they’re from Kariobangi Lights Industries famed for making counterfeit products.

You really wouldn’t blame those who’ve believed this version since several crackdowns laid by authorities in the past have unearthed the sub-standard brewing plants making fake versions of the expensive liquor lacing them with toxic chemicals before passing them to unsuspecting consumers in high-end clubs.

However, turns out the photos doing rounds are not from Kariobangi but from Mombasa port where the Jameson representatives themselves conducted a legal destruction of a container containing the priced whisky after it slipped the cranes into the waters. As affirmed in their statement, the destruction done under NEMA and KRA watch was just but a measure to ensure safety and quality to the consumers.

So really no need to panic at least from the clarification and enjoy your glass of Jameson in peace.

August 13, 2016
You Can Have Sex With Your Cousins, Nothing Illegal About It In Kenya, Court Declares

For the longest time in African and Kenyan history, sexual relationship with a blood relative has been considered as taboo and an abomination in the act of the same. The tradition of sexual relationships amongst cousins has however been a norm especially amongst the Hindus and many people in the West also do it.

Being a taboo, however, doesn’t say the act hasn’t been happening, there have been several cases of incest reported in Kenya and many sexual engagements amongst blood relatives have been happening behind the lights.

A court ruling that has since freed a man convicted for ten years in prison for sleeping with his cousin brings a whole new angle of conversation. High Court Judge James Makau, in an appeal where a man was contesting a conviction of alleged incest with a cousin by the Magistrates Court, found that the Sexual Offences Act does not mention cousin among the list of relatives under the offence of incest.

He ruled that the Parliament left out the clause on Cousins intentionally given the fact that in some cultures in Kenya – such as Hindus and Muslims – and some African communities, sexual acts between cousins are not criminalised. “This means it is permissible to have sex with a cousin,” the judge ruled. “My understanding of the said section (Section 20(1) of the Sexual Offences Act) is that if any sexual act takes place between two cousins, that does not amount to incest within the meaning of the provisions of the Sexual Offences Act.”

Could this ruling be used to legitimise sexual relationships and possible marriages amongst relatives in Kenya? Needless to say that children sired through such blood ties have unexplainable genetical complications. Are Kenya and African ready to embrace such a ruling? Would you sleep with or marry your cousin?

August 10, 2016
Medical Crisis In Machakos, Why Doctors Are Fleeing Because Of Governor Alfred Mutua

Machakos Governor, Dr. Alfred Mutua

A major health crisis is looming in Machakos County after conflicting parties, Mutua and doctors union failed to reach a safe agreement. The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has started the process of withdrawing its members from Machakos county hospitals because of what it describes as poor working conditions and bad human resource policies by Mutua and his administration.

Mutua who is widely known for pulling PR stunts with unsustainable projects under the umbrella of Maendeleo Chap Chap has had bad blood with KMPDU who accuse him of getting way deep into their affairs and unnecessarily being authoritarian along the way firing most doctors unfairly.

Differences between the medics and Governor Mutua started when he suspended one of the KMPDU members last month because of “lethargy”. Some of the issues that the doctors are protesting against include suspension of doctors without following the right procedure, salary delays, lack of promotions, non-remittance of statutory deductions and inadequate housing.

The attention seeking Mutua recently fired a doctor who was in the theatre attending to a patient for not giving him attention when he paid a surprise visit to the hospital. Mutua expected the doctor to leave the patient in the theatre with the surgery halfway to run and kneel before him with ‘Karibu Baba,’ a colonial and Moi era leaders worshipping mentality. Medics are guided by the divine rule that dictates you save lives first and attend to other things later on.

August 4, 2016
Why Kenyan Athletes Will Be Given 72 Condoms Each in Their Hotel Rooms When They Get To Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A general view of the Olympic and Paralympic Village for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Barra da Tijuca. The Village will host up to 17,200 people amongst athletes and team officials during the Games and up to 6,000 during the Paralympic Games on July 22, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Getty Images)

Despite the damning doping claims that threatened the chances of Kenyan athletes participating in the Rio games, the country eventually escaped the ban and sent its team of athletes. While we anticipate trophies from the countrymen, they should as well expect a welcome with a record number of condoms allocated and air-conditioners in every bedroom, Rio’s athletes’ village starts welcoming Olympians on Sunday.

The new apartment towers built to house 11,000 athletes and 6,000 coaches during Rio’s Games are being called basic, even austere.

But when you step out on the balcony of one of the 3,604 apartments, the complex — with its swimming pools, tennis courts and bike lanes — looks downright five-star.

The rooms are furnished with single beds and wardrobes made of recycled materials, as well as air-conditioning units to allay fears over the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

Inside of the rooms where the athletes will be sleeping

Organisers describe the 31 17-story towers as a “city within a city” complete with a 24-hour cafeteria, beauty salon and florist.

The rooms themselves are furnished with the basics: metal beds, bedside tables and disposable wardrobes made with recycled fabric.

Ramler said the idea was to make the furniture sustainable but also inexpensive in keeping with Rio’s bid to provide low-budget Games. The complex was built with private money, and the developers are already looking for buyers post-Olympics.

The main entrance is heavily guarded and equipped with metal detectors. Unlike in recent Games, there are no TVs in the apartments. Organisers did finally agree to install air conditioners in the bedrooms to allay fears over the mosquito-borne Zika virus, despite the expected cool temperatures during the games, which fall during Rio’s winter. The opening ceremony is scheduled for August 5.

The apartments are equipped with 13,000 toilet seats, 275,000 clothes hangers and 18,500 beds that can be extended in length for taller athletes. The spartan bathrooms sport plastic shower curtains and a single oval mirror, but no drawers or cupboards to store the 450,000 condoms that will be distributed to athletes — equivalent to 42 per person.

August 2, 2016
Domestic Resource Mobilization for Health in Kenya

By Reinhard Asamoh

Kenya has undergone a raft of reform processes ranging from political to governance, with devolution being the most transformative regarding equity and redistribution of resources. Some have largely viewed devolution as the panacea to a myriad of challenges in Kenya that have been attributed to the unequal distribution of resources among other structural causes.

Conversely, devolution is also being associated with new and emerging challenges. With the devolution, health is now a function of the County governments – the devolution of health budgets has meant an elimination of the traditional HIV /TB /Malaria Budget lines accompanied by inadequate allocations to health sector by the County governments.

Whilst procurement of vaccines remains the responsibility of the national level MOH, procurement of injectable devices (e.g.,. syringes), and budget setting for operations costs has been devolved to the county level. The challenges have led to poor performance of the health sector, and this could get worse if key stakeholders are not engaged and sensitised for national and sub-national governments’ political action to improve health funding and policies.

Furthermore, with the rebasing of the Kenyan economy, Kenya is now a Lower Middle Income Country. Development partners such as The Global Fund and Gavi would take the new income classification in consideration as funding allocations are made, and co-financing commitments by the government are calculated. Similarly, a study carried out by the National AIDS Control Council on Implications to Health (HIV) due to Middle Income Country (MIC) status confirmed there would be short and long term implications at country-level and to program needs.

Thus, there is a need to support advocacy efforts at the country level in Kenya to find more sustainable approaches to health financing in implementing countries. Domestic expenditures for health are particularly vital, and developing countries are already making greater investments in their health systems.

Under the funding model, The Global Fund has entered into an agreement with Kenya for funding support of $ 332 Million through 2017. Kenya has committed $26 million in the FY 2015/16 in domestic financing for health, and it is critical to sustaining the momentum. Gavi’s support for Kenya will be $32 million in 2016, and Kenya is required to co-procure a total amount of $3.4 million for the Gavi supported vaccines in the FY 2016/17.

Mobilising more domestic funds is key in helping to ensure health program sustainability as Kenya transitions from international support in the medium term to long term. Kenya needs to increase the prioritisation given to health in the national budget.

At present Kenya only spends around 5.6% of its budget on health, much lower than its commitment made in Abuja in 2001 to allocate at least 15%. Now as a Lower-middle-income country, with the possibility of losing some of its traditional donors in health in the medium term to long term, Kenya has one of the most vibrant economies in Sub-Saharan Africa. It also poses a significant opportunity to change the equation where 45% of health sector services are funded by donor aid.

There is a chance to change the allocation of funds to health, as well as increased domestic development vote vis-à-vis the recurrent expenditure budgets. According to a study by the Kenya German development cooperation, more that 75% of the health budget is allocated to recurrent expenses. Evidence has also shown that the increase of the budget on health over the years have been low since as budgets have been increased nominally, there have also been rates of inflation.

A study published in 2015 by Results UK, KANCO, WACI Health and Action, “Who Pays for Progress? The Roles of Domestic Resource Mobilization and Donor Aid for Health Financing in Africa” showed that Kenya and countries like it should be wary of the potential health precipice on which they may find themselves given the huge gaps in domestic health financing.

With increased domestic resource mobilisation for health and a graduation and transitions scheme from donors such as the Global Fund and Gavi, the integration or building of human rights-based solutions for access to health services is critical for accountability, transparency, and equity. Supporting transition countries to expand human rights programs to remove human rights and gender-related obstacles to health care and to empower communities to take charge of their health is central to the Global Fund’s transition strategy.

Similarly, gender equality and ensuring the needs and rights of women and girls are enhanced would sustain and improve progress in health outcomes. Gender dynamics within epidemics such as AIDS are such that women and girls are disproportionately affected, as are MSM and trans communities and other key affected populations.

In 2001, heads of states of the African Union made the Abuja Declaration — a commitment to allocate at least 15 percent of their annual budgets to the health sector by 2015. Kenya is one of those countries which have yet to achieve this target. Though significant progress has been made within domestic financing efforts, not enough is being done currently to mobilise domestic resources. Kenya, like many countries with the heaviest disease burden, is unable to fund their responses to AIDS, TB and malaria, and their immunisation programme without international support.

However, Kenya is progressively graduating from international support as its economy grows. Securing political will is key for the Kenyan government to mobilise more domestic resources and increase spending on health in line with its Abuja commitments, and the role of Parliamentarians from all parties is critical to achieving this outcome.
There is the need to highlight the importance and return on investment of investing in health budgets, and promote increased domestic contributions to HIV, TB, Malaria and Immunization.

Asamoh is an economist and contributor on Kenya’s affairs

Twitter: @Asamoh_

This article expresses the author’s opinion only. The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Kenya Insights or its Editors. We welcome opinion and views on topical issues. Email: [email protected]

July 29, 2016
Survey: A Third of New HIV Infections Are on College-Going Students, Sponsor Culture To Blame

In the traditional setup, it was not only a crime but a shame for young ladies to engage in sexual relationships with older men and it was viewed as disgusting and uncouth. Decades on things have totally changed and today’s young women are taking pride in it.

The ‘sponsor’ trend, where older men support girls and young women’s lavish lifestyles in exchange for sex, may be contributing to high HIV infection among the youth. According to the Kenya Aids Indicator Survey, about a third of new infections are of persons aged 15-24 years. UNAIDS statistics say about 30,000 New infections registered annually amongst the youth.

The vulnerable age is the high school going, college and just graduated new in the market or jobless group. Talk to most young women nowadays they’ll shamelessly tell you they have one. In fact, the trend is such that they have a sponsor and a boyfriend. Sponsor to take care of her financial needs and the boyfriend for the emotional satisfaction it’s a bitter truth.

Here’s a young lady coming from a poor background no job going to school has an iPhone worth Sh. 80,000 lives in a posh apartment only use uber in some cases has a car. They’re living the lavish lifestyle courtesy of the sponsor. It’s a well-packaged form of prostitution.

It’s not only the ladies to be blamed for the sponsor culture even young men are going after older women to sponsor their lifestyle in exchange for sexual favours. Everybody is caught up in this thing. One common thing is protection is out of the question in sponsor sex, and they invest a lot in their baits to afford using condoms it’s the naked truth and primary factor behind the high HIV figures.

The link is even disturbing since the sponsor have their spouses they’re having sex with and so are the sponsored who have other partners they’re sleeping with. This generation needs prayers or rigid rules to deport all sponsors to Uranus or whichever planet but can that possibly happen? Guess not sponsor trend has many proponents. The sponsor culture is coming second after betting companies in employing young people in Kenya now and keeping them laughing and crying in alternation.

July 27, 2016
NASCOP Launches Anza Sasa Campaign That Will Revolutionize Treatment For HIV Positive Persons

Health CS, Nicholas Muraguri delivering his speech during ‘Anza Sasa’ campaign launch at Weston Hotel, Nairobi.

The Ministry of Health through the National AIDS and STI Control Program (NASCOP) has launched a campaign dubbed “Anza Sasa” to encourage all those who test HIV positive to get ARV treatment regardless of their CD4 Count. In the past, only those with a CD4 count of 500 and below were eligible for treatment.

“ The aim of providing antiretroviral treatment to all people living with HIV is two pronged; first,, it will enable the individual who is on antiretroviral therapy to reduce the level of the virus circulating within their body to an undetectable level and as such reduce further damage to their immune system and improve the body’s ability to fight off infections averting unnecessary illnesses, disabilities and even deaths related to HIV said Dr. Sirengo, Head of the National AIDS and STI Control Program (NASCOP). Secondly, with an undetectable viral load level, further transmission to people who are uninfected with HIV will be minimized”.

New Guidelines on Use of Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating and Preventing HIV Infection in Kenya 2016 were also launched to provide guidance on the use of antiretroviral medicines for treating people living with HIV. Kenya currently has 1.5 million people living with HIV and an estimated 900,000 have been receiving treatment.

“As a paradigm shift from previous guidelines, these new guidelines that are in line with international standards and World Health Organization recommendations stipulate that all people living with HIV be put on treatment with the lifesaving antiretroviral medicines”, said Dr.Nduku Kilonzo, NACC. The services will be offered free of charge at all public health facilities providing HIV care and treatment services in Kenya.

Another new shift is that the use of antiretroviral medicines to prevent HIV transmission will particularly be emphasized through the elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV (eMTCT) program where all pregnant women identified to be HIV-infected will be started on antiretroviral medicines immediately upon diagnosis in order to reduce transmission of HIV to the unborn baby. Upon delivery, infants born to a mother who is HIV-infected will be tested for HIV at birth or within two weeks after delivery.

“The infants who are identified to be HIV-infected will be initiated on antiretroviral medicines immediately in order to increase their chances of survival whereas infants who are not infected will be provided with preventive antiretroviral medicines for twelve weeks after birth, this will go a long way in reducing new infections among children, said Cabinet Secretary for health, Dr. Cleaphas Mailu. The breast feeding women will be closely followed up to ensure that they closely adhere to antiretroviral therapy and remain virally suppressed throughout the breastfeeding period in order to prevent HIV transmission to their babies.

Antiretroviral therapy is now also recommended for HIV negative persons to prevent acquisition of HIV and is known as pre-exposure prophylaxis. This intervention will be accessible at specific HIV prevention, care and treatment service delivery settings under close supervision by NASCOP and County Health team and will be available to populations at high risk of acquiring HIV .

“The Ministry of Health is committed towards the implementation of the recommendations provided in the Guidelines on use of Antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV Infection in Kenya 2016 towards reducing new HIV infections and deaths related with HIV and reaching HIV epidemic control” said Dr. Cleaophas Mailu Cabinet Secretary, Health

Other guidelines and documents that were launched during the same function included Integrated Biological and Behavioral Survey for Key Populations, the Polling Booth Survey 2015, Report, Reaching the Unreached: The Evolution of Kenya’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Programme for Key Population report and a training manual on Responding to Violence against Key Populations to Promote Access to HIV Services

NASCOP’s Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision program also launched Results of Active Adverse events surveillance for PrePex circumcision in Kenya. To prevent occupational exposure to HIV among health workers, a report on Occupational Exposure to Blood/Body Fluids and HIV Post Exposure Prophylaxis in Health Care Facilities in Kenya (2011 – 2014) was also launched as well as several handbooks on HIV treatment literacy materials for parents, caregivers, children and adolescents were also launched. And as the country moves towards strengthening quality and efficiency in the health sector, HIV commodity management guidelines were launched.

July 15, 2016
How Kisumu MP Ken Obura and His Briefcase NGO Frustrated a Ksh.30M Medical Equipment Donation

Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura

John Odullah, a lawyer from Karachuonyo n Homabay County, met and struck a rapport with Mr Hans Frederick Dydensborg- the president of Global Medical Aid and an advocate for the Danish Supreme Court, in 2014. Mr Hans was in the country for a conference.

Being a Kenyan of goodwill, Odullah asked Mr Hans if he could make a donation of medical equipment to his home county, to which Mr Hans obliged. Mr Odullah contacted his friend, Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura to be the consignee for the container Mr Hans was going to ship in.

Obura agreed to this and used his NGO (Ken Obura Foundation) to bring it into the country. Being a charitable organisation, they thought it wouldn’t attract huge tax rates. When the shipment docked in Obura’s name, port authorities demanded up to Sh.7M for clearance.

The amount was too huge for the MP so they asked the county government of Homabay to chip in and help. The county government later backed off leaving off the charity project in limbo.

Gutted with impediments and constant demands for money, Mr Hans recently flew in the country to try and get the container cleared. His efforts to get in touch with the consignee, Mr Obura, bore no fruits as the legislator embarked on cat and mouse games. He lied that he was out of the country but was seen in Parliament buildings on the same day.

Well-wishers loading medical equipment as donations destined for Africa

On deeper investigations, Mr Hans realised that the said Ken Obura Foundation only exists on paper with no physical address. Obura, according to the frustrated donor, was plotting with port officials to buy time for the container to be declared late for clearance and put up for auction. He would then swing in, buy it at a reduced value and then sell the consignment to the counties at the market price.

Items in the container included endoscopy devices, a fundus camera, two x-ray developers, 363 disinfection scopes, eight washing and disinfection machines, a dexa scanner, 30 microscopes, a paraplegic laboratory and 120 infusion single and triple pumps.

Homabay County and it’s neighbours are faced with high HIV/AIDS prevalence, not to mention water-borne diseases and other infections. Add that up with the averagely low income of the residents, and the medical donation would have gone a long way in improving the health and livelihood of the residents, but greed and personal interest have gotten in the way.

For 19 months, the container with medical equipment donation valued at Sh.30M meant for poor Kenyans who are unable to afford quality healthcare lay at the Mombasa port.

Corrupt officials at Mombasa port demanded that Mr Hans pay a Sh.2M bribe to have the container cleared, but he wouldn’t oblige. He turned to Mombasa county to pay the clearance fee and take ownership of the donation, but they too declined the offer.

Defeated and frustrated, Mr Hans redirected the shipment back to Denmark. That’s how Homabay County residents lost out on a Sh30M medical donation.

July 11, 2016
Cheap Tilapia From China Sold In Kisumu Bred on Feces and Laced With Chemicals

The cheap tilapia imported from China being sold in Kisumu

The news of cheap tilapia fish sold in Kisumu and environs has in the past days been the topic of debate. Being a delicacy of the lake community, a smart but rather conniving businessman saw the opportunity to import fish from China.

There has been a steady decline in fish supply in the region with fishermen citing a decrease in fish population in Lake Victoria. Fish population in Africa’s biggest freshwater lake has been the downfall in the recent times due to some reasons. With the supply being unable to meet the demand for fish, businessmen resorted to importing tilapia from China.

The most shocking part is the imported fish is way cheaper than the local ones. Tilapia, locally known as Ngege, goes at a market price of Ksh.300 while the Chinese tilapia is just a mere Sh.30, a 100% reduction in price. The fish is transported and kept frozen in boxes where they’re sold and distributed to different market zones. Local leaders have come out saying this is a sabotage of the local economy in which fishing is the primary economic pillar. But that’s not even the worst.

A fish farm in China

In a random research conducted by Kenya Insights, we’ve established that the cheap tilapia being sold to the locals come with dangerous repercussions with them. Most of the fish being sold are bred and fed on raw sewage as a way of cutting costs and contaminated with microbes like salmonella.

Fish farming is a thriving venture in China. However, there are set fish feeds that the government allows farmers to use, but most farmers do not adhere to this standards. In several disgusting videos we viewed on the internet of fish rearing, farmers opt for raw sewage to feed the fish claiming the government-recommended manure is too expensive.

Demand for fish imports from China continues to go up worldwide with US alone consuming over 30% of seafood from China. Feeding the fish with faeces isn’t even half of it, the tilapia are frozen before package, and the ice used in this process is also made from sewage water according to a Bloomberg report in 2012.

Given the health risks posed to the farmers themselves, they’re adding chemicals like illegal and powerful pesticides and antibiotics to fight off and calm down stressed fish to the fish feed and water to counter bacterial and fungal infections.

A common anti-bacteria they use is nitrofuran which was banned in animal husbandry in China itself, USA, and Europe as lab tests proved that it caused cancer in rats.

A fishmonger sets up her merchandise at the famous fish retail market in Kisumu, Oile.

As the poisoned and faeces bred tilapia continue to fill plates given its economic reprieve, consumers must look forward to a future of unexplainable illnesses. The pandemic isn’t closed to Kisumu alone, given the market pyramid in Kenya, there’s a high probability this Cheap China tilapia has gotten its way to most parts of the country including the leading cities as Nairobi, Nakuru and Mombasa.

In our next piece, we will expose and explain the persons behind this health risk venture in Kisumu. Next time you order for that tilapia, you might want to ask the seller kama ni ya China

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July 7, 2016
Study, 70 per cent of Water Consumed in Nairobi and Kisumu Contaminated with ARVs

Nairobi Governor, Evans Kidero, commissions a water vending machine in Mathare slums.

24 pharmaceuticals- the highest concentrations being antibiotics and ARVs, used to treat HIV and malaria are found in rivers, waste and ground water in Nairobi and Kisumu counties.

This is according to a study, Occurrence Patterns of Pharmaceutical Residues in Waste Water, Surface Water and Ground Water of Nairobi and Kisumu, Kenya, conducted by the University of Eldoret in collaboration with Ghent University, Belgium.

The concentration of these prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines while minuscule — as they are far below the levels of a therapeutic dose — are worrying scientists like Mr Kenneth K’oreje, one of the authors.

“There is a 70 percent chance that the surface and even treated water may still have traces of the drugs. In fact, some ARVs have resistant products that may be isolated in water long after treatment is done.” He says.

Water flowing from a tap in Nairobi

These drugs, measured in quantities of parts per billion or trillion, include nevirapine and zidovudine (for HIV treatment) and antibiotics like metronidazole, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim.
Kisumu has higher concentrations of the antibiotic sulphadoxine, which is a combined drug with Fansidar that is used to treat malaria.
Poorly managed pharmaceutical disposal mechanisms a possible attribute to this hazardous development.

Elsewhere, in 2013 a study on foodstuff had established that farmers in Kiambu and Murang’a counties were using ARVs to fatten chicken. The farmers reportedly added ARVs to broiler feed to ensure they were ready for sale at four weeks.

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July 5, 2016
South Africa starts giving oral PrEP to HIV-negative sex workers – Its time Kenya did the same

Early March 2016, South Africa announced leading-edge interventions to address the high HIV infection rates among sex workers. The planned actions included; the provision of immediate antiretroviral treatment to all sex workers with HIV, and also to offer daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to HIV-negative sex workers so as to prevent them from acquiring the infection.

While designing the plan, South Africans encompassed the multi-faceted lives of sex workers tackling not only their health needs but also psycho social support, alcohol and substance abuse treatment, reducing violence and economic empowerment.

Kenya should be noting down the important lessons

Although Kenya has been providing both emergency antiretrovirals and post-exposure prophylaxis (Pep) treatment, which suppress the HIV virus if taken within 72 hours of infection, sex workers are often left out this HIV response due to criminalisation, stigma, discrimination and Violence. But how can pre-exposure prophylaxis be offered to a group the is already existing in Kenya illegally? (Sex work is illegal in Kenya).

1. Curbing stigma

Implementing PrEP will mean that implementing groups such as Ministry of Health first take the service to the sex workers and afterwards encourage the sex workers to seek psycho-social support, alcohol and substance abuse treatment and economic empowerment services offered countrywide.

The combination of HIV-related stigma and stigma associated with sex work prevents sex workers from seeking HIV testing, and sex workers are also less likely to receive treatment.

2. Strategic de-criminalisation of Sex work.

There is strong evidence that criminalisation of sex work (Sex work is illegal in Kenya) encourages behaviour associated with a high risk of HIV infections and other sexually transmitted infection. Additionally, where sex work is criminalised, violence against sex workers is often not reported or monitored, and legal protection is often not offered to victims of such violence. Additionally, health-service providers often neglect their duty to provide care when attending to sex workers.

HIV in Kenya

The first case of HIV in Kenya was detected in 1984 and by 2013, Kenya had the joint fourth-largest HIV epidemic in the world in terms of the number of people living with HIV. Roughly 58,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses in the same year.

Multi-level Interventions were launched including the declaration by the then President that HIV was a National Disaster. Remarkable achievements came through but the fact is that HIV remains a major threat to public health not only in Kenya but globally. The latest available data and evidence shows a general decrease in the HIV infections. Additionally, too many people are becoming infected with HIV, too many people do not know that they have HIV, and too many people are dying from AIDS-related causes.

In a report by UNAIDS/Lancet, no African country reports a prevalence of HIV infection of less than 6% among sex workers. In comparison to the rest of the world, the median prevalence of HIV infection in sex workers in sub-Saharan Africa alone is 20·5% as compared with the global median of 3·9%.

Kenya ought to and home from South Africans.

If this is actually implemented fully, the sex workers an important but neglected population that has a very high risk of HIV will be reached. In the case of South Africa, a total of 70000 sex workers will be reached in a three year period.

Who has already applauded South Africas plan

The World Health Organization (WHO) has already welcomed South Africas plan.

“We applaud the South African Government for this bold plan and for offering early testing and treatment and PrEP to sex workers,” said Dr Gottfried Hirnschall, Director of WHO’s HIV/AIDS Department.

“This plan is an important step to scaling up treatment towards ‘treat all’ and to reducing HIV transmission effectively and rapidly.” added Dr Gottfried Hirnschall.

South Africa has the highest number of HIV-positive people in the world, with an estimated 6.3 million people living with HIV. Sex work is estimated to account for as much as 20% of new HIV infections in the country. A recent Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance Survey showed extremely high HIV prevalence among sex workers, with as many as 70% of sex workers in Johannesburg living with HIV.

In September 2015, WHO recommended that PrEP be offered as an additional prevention choice for people at substantial risk of HIV. South Africa is recognized as the first country in Africa to translate this recommendation into national policy.

March 18, 2016