Roundup: Kenya launches campaign to end HIV infections among teenagers

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday launched a global campaign that seeks to revitalize efforts to reduce HIV transmission among young adults.

Heads of multilateral agencies and campaigners graced the launch of All In Campaign that targets adolescents and youth who are vulnerable to HIV/Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases.

"At a time when our nations are looking forward to unprecedented growth and change, we have the blessing of young people to catalyze development. However, the HIV/Aids burden on this group threatens to rob us of this promise," said Kenyatta.

The campaign is an initiative of multilateral agencies, foundations, cultural icons and campaigners to advocate for high impact intervention to cushion adolescents from the ravages of HIV/ Aids.

Kenyatta noted that high rate of HIV infections among the youth was detrimental to socio-economic progress globally. "Health underpins socio-economic development but this objective will not be realized due to high Aids-related deaths among the youth," the president said.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) contends that HIV/Aids is the second leading cause of deaths among teenagers globally.

Most of the 2.1 million adolescents living with HIV in 2013 became infected at least 10 years ago, when their mothers were pregnant, during delivery or in the first months of life -- a time when antiretroviral medicines that can greatly reduce the possibility of HIV transmission were not available.

The campaign focuses on four key action areas: engaging, mobilizing and empowering adolescents as leaders and actors of social change; improving data collection to better inform programming; encouraging innovative approaches to reach adolescents with essential HIV services adapted to their needs; and placing adolescent HIV firmly on political agendas to spur concrete action and mobilize resources.

"AIDS is the leading cause of death among adolescents in Africa. Globally, two thirds of all new infections among adolescents were among adolescent girls. This is a moral injustice," said UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé. "I am calling on young people to lead the All In movement, alongside the United Nations, public and private partners, and countries themselves, to end the adolescent AIDS epidemic."

In Africa, AIDS has become the leading cause of death for adolescents. And an estimated 16 percent of people living with HIV/ Aids in Kenya are adolescents and youth.

According to the WHO, just one in four children and adolescents in developing countries under the age of 15 have access to life- saving antiretroviral treatment. Deaths are declining in all age groups, except among 10 to 19 year olds.

"We can't say that we are on the right track to end AIDS if it continues being the main cause of death for adolescents in Africa, " said Pablo Aguilera, Executive Director of the HIV Young Leaders Fund. "We must ensure that no adolescent is left behind."

New HIV infections among adolescents are not declining as quickly as among other age groups. Adolescent girls, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, are most affected.

Luiz Loures, the Deputy Executive Director, UNAIDS said regular testing, access to anti-retroviral drugs and strong leadership were crucial to minimize Aids-related deaths among young adults.

"There is need to reframe the HIV/Aids campaign now that traditional approaches have failed to stem infections in this demographic. The youth must be empowered with information to avoid contracting the Aids virus," said Loures. Endi