Activists Propose New Model to Fight HIV/AIDS in Kenya

"Twenty-eight years since the first HIV/AIDS case was reported in Kenya, organizations are proposing a new model to fight the epidemic," Sabahi reports. "The model, called 'SAVE,' an acronym for 'Safer practices, Access to treatment, Voluntary counseling and testing, and Empowerment,' hopes to improve the traditional ABC model, which focused on 'Abstinence, Being faithful, and using Condoms,'" the news service adds. According to Inerela, an international interfaith group of religious leaders living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, "the ABC model's inefficacy is partly due to lack of support from some segments of society, particularly religious leaders," Sabahi writes, noting, "With SAVE, Inerela plans to use a multi-faceted approach to influence government policies and engage faith leaders and communities to change behaviors." According to the news service, "The program focuses on providing mental and economic support to people affected by the disease while engaging religious leaders in the process" (Ramah, 10/9).