ARVs keep hopes and dreams of students alive

[Guest guest]

ARVs keep hopes and dreams of students alive

The Kenya Aids Indicator survey report of 2009 shows that 3.8 per cent, or

almost half of those infected with HIV, are young people aged between 15 and 24

years. The HIV/Aids care and treatment programme is keeping students, the group

most affected by the disease, in schools and colleges. Photos/FILE

By Arthur Okwemba newsdesk@...

Posted Friday, March 11 2011 at 22:00

Eight years ago when Atieno waited in a queue at a health centre in Mathare

North estate to pick up antiretroviral drugs for her one-month-old baby, she

never thought the child would survive past five years.

" That day, and the months that followed, left me devastated. I constantly asked

why it had to happen to my baby, " Atieno recalls.

Eight years down the line, however, she is all smiles. Her eight-year-old

daughter is now in class three at a primary school in the estate.

" She is among the top five performers in her class. Her excellent performance

gives me the drive to work hard, give her good nutrition and medicine to keep

her going. "

In school, Atieno's daughter mingles well with other children.

" Every day when I look at the drugs, I remind myself that this is what is

keeping my daughter in school, " Atieno says.

Her tale is similar to another family's about six kilometres away in Kimathi

estate. It is the heartwarming story of a boy who had lost all hope of pursuing

his education when opportunistic infections attacked him.

That was two years ago when, at 14 years, he came down with a serious skin

disease and pneumonia. He could not walk after his feet became numb, caused by

what his doctor referred to as peripheral neuropathy. When he was tested for

HIV, the result was positive.

The doctor advised that he be immediately put on antiretroviral therapy to

reverse the devastating effects of the disease.

For three months he did not go to school and his parents feared his education

had come to an end. " Will he ever walk, I cried, " says the boy's father, ,

of the thoughts that went through his mind at that time.

After five months of taking the ARVs, the boy regained his health. He started

walking again and was readmitted to school. He is now in form three. says

were it not for the ARVs, his son would either be dead or physically disabled.

" These drugs are the reason my son is in school pursuing his dream of becoming a

lawyer, " he says.

Both Atieno and , beneficiaries of the free ARVs provided by the

government, say their children's lives would be completely different were it not

for the drugs.

The two children are among the thousands that the availability of free ARVs has

ensured stay in school, pursuing their dreams.

According to Dr Ibrahim Mohammed, the director of the National Aids and STD

Control Programme (Nascop), the increased access to these drugs by HIV positive

school children is critical.

The Kenya Aids Indicator survey report of 2009 shows that 3.8 per cent, or

almost half of those infected with HIV, are young people aged between 15 and 24

years. The HIV prevalence among girls is four times that of boys. The national

HIV prevalence is 7.1 per cent.

This also happens to be the age bracket when the youth are in high school and

college. It also means the HIV/Aids care and treatment programme is beneficial

to girls in schools, who are the most affected.

" By keeping them on treatment and in school, we are ensuring that the country is

producing skilled manpower needed to propel this economy to the next level, "

says Dr Mohammed.

He says that those on government and other ARV programmes include university

students, secondary and primary school children. The drugs have helped reduce or

eliminated opportunistic infections that lead to absenteeism, poor performance

and poor concentration in school.

At one of the girls' secondary schools in Kisumu, a teacher confided that 11 of

his students are on ARV therapy.

" Three of them had lost confidence when they started becoming ill in regularly.

But when they were put on ARVs, they regained their confidence and now see

themselves as key players in all the school activities.

" Besides the health advantages, these drugs have psychological benefits that are

critical in the participation of the students in academic and other school

activities, " says the teacher.

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/ARVs+keep+hopes+and+dreams+of+students+alive/-/1056\

/1123346/-/item/1/-/b1ob1lz/-/index.html

[Guest guest]

ARVs keep hopes and dreams of students alive

The Kenya Aids Indicator survey report of 2009 shows that 3.8 per cent, or

almost half of those infected with HIV, are young people aged between 15 and 24

years. The HIV/Aids care and treatment programme is keeping students, the group

most affected by the disease, in schools and colleges. Photos/FILE

By Arthur Okwemba newsdesk@...

Posted Friday, March 11 2011 at 22:00

Eight years ago when Atieno waited in a queue at a health centre in Mathare

North estate to pick up antiretroviral drugs for her one-month-old baby, she

never thought the child would survive past five years.

" That day, and the months that followed, left me devastated. I constantly asked

why it had to happen to my baby, " Atieno recalls.

Eight years down the line, however, she is all smiles. Her eight-year-old

daughter is now in class three at a primary school in the estate.

" She is among the top five performers in her class. Her excellent performance

gives me the drive to work hard, give her good nutrition and medicine to keep

her going. "

In school, Atieno's daughter mingles well with other children.

" Every day when I look at the drugs, I remind myself that this is what is

keeping my daughter in school, " Atieno says.

Her tale is similar to another family's about six kilometres away in Kimathi

estate. It is the heartwarming story of a boy who had lost all hope of pursuing

his education when opportunistic infections attacked him.

That was two years ago when, at 14 years, he came down with a serious skin

disease and pneumonia. He could not walk after his feet became numb, caused by

what his doctor referred to as peripheral neuropathy. When he was tested for

HIV, the result was positive.

The doctor advised that he be immediately put on antiretroviral therapy to

reverse the devastating effects of the disease.

For three months he did not go to school and his parents feared his education

had come to an end. " Will he ever walk, I cried, " says the boy's father, ,

of the thoughts that went through his mind at that time.

After five months of taking the ARVs, the boy regained his health. He started

walking again and was readmitted to school. He is now in form three. says

were it not for the ARVs, his son would either be dead or physically disabled.

" These drugs are the reason my son is in school pursuing his dream of becoming a

lawyer, " he says.

Both Atieno and , beneficiaries of the free ARVs provided by the

government, say their children's lives would be completely different were it not

for the drugs.

The two children are among the thousands that the availability of free ARVs has

ensured stay in school, pursuing their dreams.

According to Dr Ibrahim Mohammed, the director of the National Aids and STD

Control Programme (Nascop), the increased access to these drugs by HIV positive

school children is critical.

The Kenya Aids Indicator survey report of 2009 shows that 3.8 per cent, or

almost half of those infected with HIV, are young people aged between 15 and 24

years. The HIV prevalence among girls is four times that of boys. The national

HIV prevalence is 7.1 per cent.

This also happens to be the age bracket when the youth are in high school and

college. It also means the HIV/Aids care and treatment programme is beneficial

to girls in schools, who are the most affected.

" By keeping them on treatment and in school, we are ensuring that the country is

producing skilled manpower needed to propel this economy to the next level, "

says Dr Mohammed.

He says that those on government and other ARV programmes include university

students, secondary and primary school children. The drugs have helped reduce or

eliminated opportunistic infections that lead to absenteeism, poor performance

and poor concentration in school.

At one of the girls' secondary schools in Kisumu, a teacher confided that 11 of

his students are on ARV therapy.

" Three of them had lost confidence when they started becoming ill in regularly.

But when they were put on ARVs, they regained their confidence and now see

themselves as key players in all the school activities.

" Besides the health advantages, these drugs have psychological benefits that are

critical in the participation of the students in academic and other school

activities, " says the teacher.

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/ARVs+keep+hopes+and+dreams+of+students+alive/-/1056\

/1123346/-/item/1/-/b1ob1lz/-/index.html