HIV in My village

Story by Mwanatena Ouma
According to statistics at the end of 2014, about 37M people were living with HIV/AIDS -2 Million more than at the end of 2013 according to WHO. The most affected area is Sub-Saharan Africa which is home to almost 26millions people with infection. 
In one village, a class 7 girl called Joan was realised to have been infected with HIV/AIDS. She was diagnosed  and later on through several counseling sessions accepted her status. She was introduced to ARVS which made her immune system grow stronger, by gaining a normal weight.  Though seemed to be desperate,  as a friend I spent more time with her for encouragement on the benefits of taking the ARVS on a daily basis. Some of her friend were scared since she had persistent  coughs, the skin rushes allover her body. 
There was a community youth group where people affected with HIV/AIDS were given free food stuffs, medication  plus a two day counselling sessions once a week. The group was created to encourage people that indeed HIV/AIDS is as a normal disease unlike the myths that were all round. To avoid spread of HIV/AIDS , people should abstain or have protected sex,  avoid sharing of sharp objects

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