Adolescents living with HV/Aids in Kisumu County on Monday wrote letters to Governor Jack Ranguma in an effort to reduce the HIV epidemic among young people as they mark International AIDS Candlelight Memorial. Erick Okioma, the national coordinator of the memorial, said the letters are part of a strategic approach to address issues affecting the adolescents who are at a greater risk to contract the disease. Okioma said young people feel neglected and have the desire to be actively involved in the county programmes tailored to address their needs in the fight against the epidemic. “The children sat down and they wrote letters to the governor of Kisumu County, they want the governor to come in and make sure that all things that concern them are addressed and they want representation and they want to be heard,” he said. He noted that such action would help the adolescents living with HIV to fight stigma, discrimination and ensure that HIV prevention, care programmes and treatment are availed to them. Janet Achieng (not her real name), 13, said she wrote the letter to the governor to come to the aid of adolescents living with the scourge. “The reasons as to why I have written to the governor are to tell him some issues affecting us as people living with HIV,” she said. Achieng joined over 10 children from various clubs in the county who drafted letters to the county boss to advocate for HIV prevention, treatment and care for adolescents. Okioma said that some of the interventions adolescents require from the county government include but not limited to condoms and HIV testing and counselling and access to comprehensive HIV knowledge and sexuality education in schools. He announced that all the letters will be forwarded to the governor through the county health executive member. “The letters that the children wrote will be forwarded to the governor through the health executive member; she made a commitment to the adolescents,” he said.

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