This archive report was first published on 1 July 2020.
Published on July 1, 2020, a report by Nkoko Iju Africa, a Mombasa-based NGO, has raised concerns about the spread of HIV among commercial sex workers in the region.
The NGO's Executive Director, Marilyne Laini, attributed the decline in ARV adherence to the economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left many sex workers struggling to afford basic necessities, including food.
According to Laini, one of the requirements for taking ARVs is that a carrier must eat well before taking the drugs. However, with most sex workers unable to afford three meals a day, many have resorted to abandoning their prescriptions.
"We are worried that the sex workers who have stopped taking ARVs would have higher viral loads, consequently increasing chances of infecting their clients," Laini said.
The NGO has urged both levels of government to provide support for the welfare of commercial sex workers in Kenya during the coronavirus crisis.
