Kenya: Drug Use at Record Levels Leads to AIDS Outbreak

Unprecedented levels of drug use in Kenya are driving the spread of HIV there, experts say.

"The challenge here is passing HIV risk-reduction messages to drug and alcohol addicts as well as advising those who test positive to seek help in terms of care," said Masudi Omar of the drug addiction treatment facility Reachout Center Trust.

Kenya has more drug users than any other East African country, says the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC). The country has 100,000 cocaine users, 200,000 users of opiates such as heroin, and 4 million who use marijuana, the office estimates. About 7 percent of the population is HIV-positive, according to the most recent Kenya AIDS Indicator Survey.

The port city of Mombasa is believed to have the country's highest concentration of substance abusers. Drug users in Mombasa commonly share syringes, unaware that the practice can expose them to HIV, according to a report by UNDOC.

Young people who use drugs are at increased risk for HIV for several reasons, say health officials. They often ignore safer-sex practices, and they frequently turn to commercial sex work to support their drug habits.

For some, "it is difficult to convince them to change their trade and avoid commercial sex because this is their only source of income," said Reachout volunteer Mweupe Alfani.

Kenya has two additional treatment centers, one each in Nairobi and Mombasa. The cost for care there, $20 to $40 per day, is out of reach for most who need it, Omar said. A four-month program at the Reachout Center costs $132. The center performs HIV testing but refers clients to a government facility for treatment.

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