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What's new at GAPS?
- Volunteer in Australia: work on programs from Australia with GAPS
- Volunteer Africa 2009: Get involved in the field
- Kenyan Village-Based Medical Educators Program (KVME): targeting simple solutions
See GAPS in action
Volunteer Africa 2009
See things like you've never seen them before - volunteer in East Africa with GAPS this year, make a difference and see the real Africa
with projects in partnership with UNICEF Kenya, the Aga Khan Foundation, the University of Melbourne and others
Medical Development in Kenya
HIV/AIDS
Kenya is facing a severe, generalised HIV/AIDS epidemic that is having a devastating impact on all sectors of society. In 1999, Kenya declared HIV/AIDS a national disaster and public health emergency.
According to 2001 Ministry of Health estimates, 13.5% of Kenya’s adult population is infected with the virus and approximately 180,000 of those infected will die from HIV/AIDS each year. In addition, more than 1.6 million children under the age of 15 have been orphaned as a result of one or both parents succumbing to the AIDS virus
Malaria
Although malaria is a preventable and treatable disease, it continues to claim hundreds of thousands of lives in Kenya each year.
In order to prevent infection, individuals require insecticide spray and treated bed nets, screen doors and windows in their homes. As many Kenyans live in impoverished households they lack the finances to obtain these vital resources.
Malaria continues to have a widespread detrimental effect on Kenyan society, particularly children. Repeated bouts of malaria in children can cause the development of anemia, resulting in chronic lethargy. Long term absenteeism from school due to illness may result in children dropping out altogether.
Deteriorating standards
Leading indicators suggest that the state of health in Kenya deteriorated throughout the 1990s. The infant mortality rate increased from 51 deaths per 1000 live births in 1992 to 74 deaths in 1998. In addition, the under-five mortality rate increased from 74 to 112 deaths per 1000 of the population during the same period.
The underlying factors which have contributed to the deterioration of health standards include a decline in the quality and quantity of health services; a drop in food availability and nutrition; a fall in immunisation coverage from 79 per cent in 1993 to 65 per cent in 1998; increased incidence of HIV/AIDS; and increasing poverty.
An overwhelming majority of the poor – 70 per cent in rural areas and 81 per cent in urban areas – cannot afford private healthcare; and 20 per cent of the urban poor and 8 per cent of the rural poor find even public health charges unaffordable.
You can make a difference in Kenya by entering a partnership, donating or volunteering.