A student at Kisiani in Kisumu has revealed that she has been taking antiretroviral drugs for the last six years without her knowledge.
Speaking to a Hivisasa writer, the student noted that she tested HIV positive in 2011 but no one told her.
“It started back in 2011 when I was in class six. I felt seek for a couple of weeks. I took several tests before being taken for a HIV test which emerged positive,”she narrated.
Owing to her young age, she never knew about the test. Her grandmother and the doctor did not inform her about the test results.
“My grandmother used to remind me not to skip taking the drugs. She was very strict. All that time, I knew I was taking painkillers to relieve me from chest complications as the doctor had recommended,” she noted.
Every time she felt seek at school, she was rushed to her doctor. Only two teachers knew about her ailments, but none of them uttered a word.
However, while she was in form three, the secret was almost busted.Her cousin from Maseno University questioned her ailments after spotting her taking the drugs.
However, the student's brother calmed the situation by explaining to the elder sister what was going on.
It was until she completed her secondary education last year that her doctor revealed the truth to her.
She noted that her guardian is not to blame as she wanted her to study hard in school.
“I can't blame them. They wanted me to concentrate on my studies. I have coped so easily after,” she said.