Eldoret sex workers decry condom scarcity
More than 2,000 commercial sex workers have decried the shortage of condoms in Eldoret town.
Eldoret Sex Workers Alliance director Alice Saina said its 2,800 members are now risking their lives by entertaining clients without protection.
“If the trend continues, the town is going to experience an upsurge in HIV/Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases,” she warned.
However, Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) Chief Executive Officer Terry Ramadhani in January this year, said that the government’s condoms are in dispensers.
The CEO has also dismissed the earlier rumours that there was a shortage of condoms in the country.
In an interview with the press, the CEO said that the government had enough stalk of the substance in its warehouse.
Also read: Kenya hit by major condoms shortage ahead of festive season
She said that the procurement of condoms falls in the national programs and is being bought and distributed under the national needs.
“A lot was being said about the shortage. At that time when there were a lot of reports, we had about 39 million condoms here in our warehouse. Now because we have done a number of dispatches, we could be at about 35 million,” CEO Ramadhani said.
She reiterated that there is no shortage of condoms in the country, and the authority distributed the stuff to various parts of the country in the last two weeks.
At the time, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha said there are enough condoms to last up to June this year.
“I would like to clarify to Kenya that we do not have a shortage of condoms in the country. As a matter of fact, as of this morning, we have 38 million pieces of condoms ready for use in the country,” CS Nakhumincha said.
Last month during the commemoration of World AIDS Day, a lobby group in the country raised a worrying alarm about the shortage of condoms.
Also read: Mithika Linturi pledges free condoms to sex workers if elected governor – VIDEO
AIDS Healthcare Foundation Kenya (AHF Kenya) petitioned the government of President William Ruto through the Ministry of Healthy to end the condom shortage.
AHF Kenya County Programme Director Dr Samuel Kinyanjui had said that the government was procuring 150 pieces of condoms against a forecasted 262 million for July 2022 to June 2023 financial year.
Dr Kinyajui said that if the government does not come up with an immediate solution, more Kenyans will be at risk of contracting HIV/Aids and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) during the festive season.
“Kenya risks rolling back the gains made in fighting HIV/AIDs if the issue of condom shortage in the country is not addressed,” Dr Kinyanjui said.
Also read: Obado ‘did not use’ condom found at Sharon murder scene