‘No condoms for school children’
The National Aids Control Council has reassured Kenyans there are no intentions to distribute condoms to school-going children.
Instead, Nacc chief executive officer Nduku Kilonzo urged the school children to maintain abstinence.
“In the quest to ensure service delivery for HIV prevention and control to school going people, age appropriate information and prevention intersections including advocacy for abstinence for young people within school environments as advised by adolescents and young people cross-sectoral working group,” Dr Kilonzo said.
Dr Kilonzo said Nacc is committed to its core mandate in the prevention of HIV transmission and provision of care and support to the affected including adolescents and young people.
In a statement, the Nacc chief executive officer said the International Condom Day is commemorated to promote the use of condoms as a means of preventing unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections to reduce the spread of HIV through safe sex practices outside of schools and adults.
According to Nacc deputy director John Kimigwi HIV and AIDS prevalence report indicates that out of the 52,000 deaths reported in the year 2017, 17,000 were youths.
He said the 17,000 death translates to 39 percent of the adult HIV and AIDS new infections in the country.
Speaking during the celebration of the International Condom Day outside Pwani University in Kilifi, he said youths aged between 15-24 years are still vulnerable to the HIV and AIDS infection despite the general report showing the national prevalence has reduced to 40 per cent.
Mr Kimigwi revealed that teenage pregnancies reported in Kilifi County have so far reached 17,850 up from the 13,000 reported five months ago.