Nabulon – In Nabulon, Kanamkemer Ward, the spouse of Turkana Governor, Lilian Ekamias, has inaugurated the Shalom Youth Friendly Centre. This facility, aimed at adolescents and young people (AYP) aged 10 to 24 years, is a collaborative effort involving The Global Fund, Kenya Red Cross Society, and World Vision Kenya. The center’s mission is to provide a safe environment for youth to access educational resources, entertainment, and crucially, sexual and reproductive health services.
According to Kenya News Agency, During the opening ceremony, Ekamias emphasized the importance of adolescents adopting preventive measures to reduce the risks of infection and early pregnancies. She underscored the centre’s role in offering health services, educational materials, and recreational activities to address issues like alcohol and substance abuse, teen pregnancies, and other challenges facing this demographic.
Ekamias also encouraged parents to be proactive in guiding and protecting their children, particularly during the long holiday. She urged all Turkana residents to utilize self-testing kits for HIV if visiting a health facility is challenging, stressing the importance of knowing one’s HIV status and ensuring that positive cases receive counseling and necessary medication.
Dr. Francis Mariao, the County Executive for Health and Sanitation, praised the center’s holistic approach to addressing the social, psychological, and physical needs of adolescents and young people. He confirmed the County Government’s commitment to collaborating with partners to enhance community-based initiatives against HIV transmission and other diseases.
Leah Audan, the County Executive for Education, Sports, and Social Protection, noted the high HIV prevalence in Nabulon and expressed gratitude for the establishment of the youth-friendly centre. She highlighted the issues of alcohol and substance abuse in the area, linking them to rising gender-based violence incidents.
Peter Lomorukai, the Chief Officer for Preventive and Promotive Health, acknowledged progress in HIV care but pointed out a new challenge: 62 percent of new HIV infections in Turkana County in 2022 were among AYPs.
Assistant County Commissioner for Turkana Central Division, Andrew Mutuma, reminded attendees of the ongoing 16 Days of Activism campaign against gender-based violence. He committed to combating alcohol and substance abuse in Nabulon, including cracking down on illicit brewers and drug peddlers.
The centre aims to address the ‘Triple Threat’ – the overlapping challenges of new HIV infections, pregnancies, and sexual gender-based violence among adolescents and young people. Besides the high rate of new HIV infections, this age group also accounted for a significant percentage of antenatal care attendances and sexual gender-based violence cases.
Representatives from various partners, including Amref Africa in Kenya, USAID Imarisha Jamii, Kenya Literature Bureau, International Rescue Committee, National Syndemic Diseases Control Council, AIC Health Ministries, SAPCONE, and Save the Children, were present at the event.