URGENT NEED FOR CONDOMS IN MIGORI.

Dear Jambo Kenya Cafe Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to write to you believing you are doing well and the entire region you are holding in terms of Development,community work and prevention of HIV/AIDS.

I would like to highlight on a serious issue that may need intervention from well wishers and that which shall be able to stabilize the efforts and achievements reached so far in the prevention of new infections of HIV/AIDS in the region we are working which is Migori.

MIGORI has a population of over 700 000 people as per recent census a and much efforts has been done to reverse the trend of HIV/AIDS that was 23% prevalence in the year 2003 and now has gone down to 14.6% according to JAPR 2009 report. The efforts made by various civil society organizations and Ministry of health reduced this rate of infection and with this the use of condom was vigorously advocated for and people are now using condoms to a higher rate.

CURRENT PROBLEM

It is unbelievable that the entire district with the above population, over 100 000 people living with HIV/AIDS that include discordant sexual active families, over 24 support centres where people get ART services, high population of immigrants from the neibouring countries, activities of commercial sex work along the border and the lake Victoria, truck drivers stop over along migori Tanzania roads. This population at the moment can not access a piece of condom in all outlets that are dispensers put by civil societies in brothels, Hotels; social places no condom at all for this population.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH STATEMENT

District AIDS COORDINATORS OF the 4 new districts crry fouls for this shortage due to no supply even at the national level. People living with HIV/AIDS attending support centres are not given even a single condom for over one month now.

URGENT REQUEST

This population is at a great risk as majority will not wait to do sex until condoms are available and this will make the new infections escalate and jeopardize the achievements so far.

Kindly support the availability for condoms in Migori even if it will be for the 24 patient support centres of people who, status has been confirmed

Kindly do all you can to support availability of condoms in Migori

I would love to have feedback if you may be of help and at what level and please pass this information to other colleagues who may be of help

Thanking you in advance

Regards,
Leah.