After one day in the slum in Kenya, I noticed something different. It has to do with AIDS. When I first came to Africa, I couldn’t comprehend the enormous devastation that comes from a such an overwhelming impact on an entire society by one disease. But things are changing now. There is a little more hope. Through good edcucation, we are seeing the new cases of HIV drop. Because of the huge numbers of people who are being tested now, there is an awareness of whether you are positive and what appropriate actions should be made because of your status.
But perhaps the biggest change has to do with ARVs (antiretroviral drugs). There is no cure for AIDS but antiretroviral drugs if taken properly can prevent HIV from becoming AIDS. When I first started hearing about this new medicine, I never dreamed that it would become accessible and affordable. But it is becoming that way now. Sure, there is a long way to go—but we are on the right path.
The development and distribution of ARVs has been one of the great works of the American government. It doesn’t matter which President or what party, all have made great strides in helping with this pandemic. The Kenyan government has joined in and done the right things too. Philanthropists have also put their money in the correct places to help change the course of this sweeping disaster.
But now just when we are about to start seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, a couple of things may alter the course. Our government because of its financial problems is cutting back on the help with these drugs. Because of the recession and other reasons, individuals and churches are helping less. I understand that things change, and you can’t always do what you did in the past. But in this case, it is the death sentence. When you start ARVs and can’t keep taking them, you get AIDS and die.
The other problem is the current record prices of food. In some areas, the price of food is triple here from when I came last. What has been discovered is that without the right food and nutrition, ARVs are not effective. Now people who still have the availability of ARVs are not getting food. Without this food, they will develop AIDS and die. The high prices of food and the cutbacks of relief efforts from the government, churches, and humanitarian agencies are also providing the death sentence.
We are so close to major changes in perhaps the greatest social crisis of our time—the AIDS pandemic. But we can’t change now. We cannot afford to let the prices of food, our bad economic choices in the government, or our greed allow us to quit when we are so close to solving a huge problem that we previously thought was unsolveable.
What am I seeing? Right now, we simply need more food. We need our government to continue to help with aid. There is finally an end in sight. And I think all of us can help with the food. I just can’t bear to watch some of these kids who finally got hope and help die simply because there wasn’t enough food.
