HIV and AIDS, adolescents, KENYA:
Disclosure traumatic for HIV positive teens

11/30/2012 2:57:21 AM Reprint | | Print |

NAIROBI - For many HIV positive adolescents discovering from their families that they were born HIV positive, the disclosure is traumatic. - Fifteen year old Cedric from the sprawling Mathare slum in Kenya dropped out of grade eight when he found out he was HIV positive. He has attempted suicide twice.

Although he was on a course of anti-retrovirals, his family told him it was medication for asthma.

According to the Kenya Population Data Sheet, stigma towards adolescents living with HIV is high.

Fifty-five percent of adolescents interviewed said they preferred that the HIV status of their family members be kept secret.

Ann Mburu, a nurse working for Adolescents Count Today, a project targeting HIV positive teens, warns that failure to disclose could lead to a rise in HIV positive adolescents as most have sex with their peers without any knowledge of their status. /IPS (END//2012)

Back to radio index >>