FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Gender-based violence (GBV) is violence committed against a person on basis of his or her gender. It may result into physical violence, sexual violence, emotional violence, financial violence and controlling behaviors.

We are all at risk of GBV, but reports show women and children are the most affected people.

For Sexual Gender based Violence:
• Seek immediate medical attention in the nearest health facility / hospital.
• Don’t bath or change clothes incase you change clothes place them in a non-plastic bag and carry them with you to the hospital or police station.
• Speak out to someone whom you trust about it.

Physical violence:
• You are advised to visit the health facility and it is recommended to report to the police.

Emotional violence:
• Seek care from a counselor or from the health facility or call toll free line 1195.

Call these toll free lines to get help 1195 (Healthcare Assistance Kenya-HAK), 0800730999 (Police), 0800720565 (Gender Violence Recovery Center).

No It is not a must for you to report to the police to get help when you are experiencing GBV. You can reach out to a person you trust such as a health care provider, a pastor or an area chief.

Call these toll free lines to get help 1195 (Healthcare Assistance Kenya-HAK), 0800730999 (Police), 0800720565 (Gender Violence Recovery Center).

Yes you can please call these toll free lines to get help 1195 (Healthcare Assistance Kenya-HAK), 0800730999 (Police), 0800720565 (Gender Violence Recovery Center) or visit the nearest hospital or police station for assistance.

Yes there is, please call these toll free lines to get help 1195 (Healthcare Assistance Kenya-HAK), 0800730999 (Police), 0800720565 (Gender Violence Recovery Center) or visit the nearest hospital or police station for assistance.

All incidences of sexual gender-based violence are free in all public hospital but the other forms of violence may incur a cost.

Please call these toll free lines to get help 1195 (Healthcare Assistance Kenya-HAK), 0800730999 (Police), 0800720565 (Gender Violence Recovery Center).

Please visit your nearest health facility or police station to get help.

Voluntary medical male circumcision involves the certified removal of the male foreskin from the glans penis by a healthcare professional. This procedure serves as a biomedical intervention for HIV prevention.

The goal of voluntary male circumcision is to achieve 95% of all males circumcised in all the 13 priority counties. 95% is the male circumcision saturation that confers the best HIV prevention as WHO recommendations.

The three main reasons for male circumcision are;
1. Cultural/traditional reasons e.g. Kalenjins, Gikuyus, Luhyas etc.
2. Religious reasons eg; Muslims circumcise their boys on 8th day after birth.
3. Voluntary medical circumcisions to prevent HIV transmissions e.g. in Kisumu, Siaya etc.

VMMC started in 2008 in Kenya following randomized control studies that showed that male circumcision prevents HIV from an infected woman to un-infected man by up to 60%. It showed also that uncircumcised males are affected by HIV five times more than circumcised males.

As per 2018 Kenya population based HIV impact assessment (KENPHIA), the national male circumcision prevalence was at 92% with five of the VMMC counties having lowest male circumcision prevalence i.e. Kisumu 53%, Turkana 56%, Homabay 59%, Siaya 61%, Migori 67% and Busia county 80%.

NB: These six counties with lowest male circumcision prevalence have the highest HIV prevalence in the country ranking 1-6th positions. From 2008 to date, the VMMC program has circumcised 2.5 million and alleviated/prevented between 166,667 to 500,000 new HIV infections. (It takes 5-15 circumcisions to prevent one HIV infection) VMMC was first started in Kisumu, Siaya, Migori, Homabay, Busia and Turkana counties. It was later expanded to other counties that had immigrant communities from non-circumcising of Nairobi, West Pokot, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kericho/Nandi and Marsabit.

Voluntary medical Male Circumcisions (VMMC) for HIV prevention is only practiced in geographic areas that meets the three laid down criterion:
i.   Has heterosexual (HIV infected woman to man) as the predominant mode of HIV transmission.
ii.  The male circumcision prevalence is low in the area (low males circumcised)
iii. The HIV prevalence in the area is high (High HIV burden)

There are two main methods of male circumcisions recommended in Kenya;
i.   Conventional method (dorsal slit).
ii.  Device method where there is no stitching. (Shangring).

After circumcision, it takes a man about 42 days to be fully healed.

The age cohort for circumcisions are as follows:
i.   15 up to 49 years (being supported by implementing partners through PEPFAR)
ii.  10 to 15 years (MOH through GOK funds)
iii. 0 to 60 days after birth (Early Infant Male circumcision)

Initial VMMC Priority Counties:
1. Kisumu
2. Siaya
3. Homabay
4. Migori
5. Turkana
6. Busia
7. Nairobi
8. West Pokot
9. Kericho/Nandi
10. Nakuru
11. Marsabit
12. Mombasa

Current Counties With Implementing Partners:
1. Kisumu
2. Siaya
3. Homabay
4. Migori
5. Turkana
6. Nairobi
7. Kericho/Nandi

You should start attending ANC as soon as you suspect you are pregnant.

It is very important to attend ANC during pregnancy even if you don’t have a problem to monitor the growth and development process of your baby as well as the health of you, as the mother during the whole pregnancy period. If there is a problem, the health care provider will identify it and help in a timely manner.

Examinations performed on a mother during the different stages of pregnancy range from:
• Monthly head to toe physical examinations, palpation of the abdomen to monitor the growth, lic and presentation of the baby
• Urine testing for bacteria to rule out any urinary tract infections
• Urine testing for protein, sugar & blood to rule out dangerous conditions such as Pre-eclampsia, Diabetes
• Ultrasound before 24 weeks to rule out any birth defects, check placenta lie, confirm gestation to inform management

Yes. The doctor at the hospital will ask for relevant information to fill in the register and clinic card.

Once you suspect you are pregnant. Ideally one should begin at 12 weeks or below, and make 8 or more visits as recommended.

You should go for monthly ANC attendance until delivery or as guided by your health care provider.

Yes. When you are pregnant or breastfeeding, any time you realize you are not feeling well or you notice something that is not normal on your baby or yourself, it is important to urgently visit a health facility for specialized counsel and care if possible.

If you fail to go to the clinic on your return date, you will not be penalized at all. Services that were required to be given to you at that time, will be offered during this current clinic visit and your clinic card updated accordingly. Ensure you keep your clinic appointments for your wellbeing and the wellbeing of your baby.

Yes. Please carry your National Identification card for ease of access to services at any government hospital offering ANC services.

As an individual according to the Kenyan Constitution, if you are above 18 years of age, you do not need the permission of anybody including your partner to take a HIV test.

In Kenya, an HIV test is free of charge.

After taking a HIV test, you will get your HIV results within 15 minutes, on the same day.

Your healthcare service provider attending to you counsel you on the next steps in-terms of care and treatment, including running any required laboratory tests and starting you on ARV treatment.

No. According to the Kenyan Constitution, every child has a right to live, therefore nobody is allowed to terminate a pregnancy even if the mother is HIV positive.

Yes. Being HIV positive will not hinder your baby from growing normally inside your womb and with adherence to Ante-retroviral medicines during pregnancy, chances that your baby will be born without HIV infection are very high.

Yes. If you adhere to your health provider’s advice on self-care, healthy lifestyle, proper use of your Ante- retroviral, information on reproductive care services and correct consistent use of condoms, you will have children who are HIV negative even if you and your sexual partner are HIV positive.

If you test HIV positive to a HIV test during your ANC clinic attendance, your health care provider will counsel you on how you will share the HIV positive information with your significant other.

Yes. It is possible to get a HIV negative baby even if both of you are HIV positive. The most important thing for both of you to do once you test HIV positive is to strictly adhere to the guidance and instructions from your health care provider on safer sexual practices during pregnancy, adherence to Ante-retroviral medicines, give birth at the health facility, take and administer HIV medicine to the infant as instructed, exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of the baby’s life, good nutrition for the mother, adequate rest and adherence to MNCH/ HIV clinic appointments.

No. In Kenya there are no special hospitals for HIV positive people. According to the Kenyan Constitution, every Kenyan has the right to information, services and health care commodities at any government health facility.

No. When you turn HIV positive during pregnancy, it is important to give birth at the health facility because your baby will be delivered in a skilled and professional way by a trained health care provider.

It is important for every pregnant mother, including those who are HIV positive to give birth at a health facility. If you are HIV positive, you will be advised by a health care provider on how to take care of yourself and your baby and receive Anti- retroviral medicines for you and your baby.

Yes. Your child will be allowed in school if he/she tests HIV positive because being HIV positive is not a disability in any way, this is a normal child like any other child.

No. There are no special schools for children living with HIV. According to the Kenyan Constitution every person has a right to attend any school in Kenya like any other child.

A child born to a HIV positive mother or both father and mother who are HIV positive should be started on Anti retroviral and other related drugs as prescribed and instructed by their service providers at birth.

Yes. Your service provider will provide you with condoms and guidance on how to correctly use them.

It is very important to share your HIV positive result with your significant few because they will play a crucial role in providing you with psychosocial, emotional, physical, financial and spiritual support.

It is Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U)

• HIV cannot be sexually transmitted when:

1. The person living with HIV adheres to antiretroviral therapy (ART).
2. The viral load is maintained at less than 200 copies/ml.
3. Measurements are taken every 4-6 months.

1. Regular viral load testing every 4 to 6 months is essential for confirming viral suppression.
2. Condoms or pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are not needed to prevent HIV transmission if the person is virally suppressed.

• • However, condoms are recommended for preventing other sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy.

3. U=U applies only to sexual transmission.

• • It does not apply to sharing drug use equipment or during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or chest-feeding.

4. A low viral load does not mean the person is cured of HIV.

• • Consistent HIV treatment allows for a long, healthy life.

5. HIV antiretroviral medication coverage varies by region.

1. Viral Load: The amount of HIV in the blood.
2. Viral Suppression: A viral load less than 200 copies/ml of blood with consecutive measurements every 4 to 6 months.
3. Undetectable: A viral load that cannot be detected by standard tests.
   • The threshold for “undetectable” may vary depending on the test type.
   • In the context of U=U, “viral suppression” and “undetectable” are synonymous.
4. Untransmittable: HIV cannot be sexually transmitted when a person achieves viral suppression (or has an undetectable viral load).