Kenya

Activity Report 2007

International staff: 2; National staff: 74

Responding to infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS and malnutrition, maternal and child health.

Almost 36% of children in Kenya do not have enough food to eat and in some areas of the country up to 60% are in different stages of malnutrition. Seven hundred people a day die from HIV/ AIDS and it is estimated that 1,100,000 children are orphans due to HIV/AIDS. Of these, 150,000 live with the HIV virus, infected from birth or from breast feeding.

In the western province of Nyanza, about 24% of pregnant women are HIV positive. Close to 2.2 million people are infected with HIV, and 1.5 million have already died as a result of AIDS since it was first diagnosed in 1984. The relationship between poverty and HIV/AIDS is a vicious circle that condemns women and families to ever greater poverty.

PMTCT (Prevention mother to child HIV transmission), pediatric treatment of HIV/AIDS and malnutrition is the primary focus of Magna's work in Kenya. In 2007, Magna established the project PMTCT plus (Preventing Mother to Child Transmission) in Nyanza province, the worst affected region of the country. Since June 2007 Magna has enrolled 246 HIV women in the program, 1,336 were counselled and 1,257 were tested for their HIV status. There is a 24% incidence of HIV in pregnant women. The project provides HIV positive mothers with prenatal, natal and postnatal care and aims to minimize the transmission of the HIV virus to their newborn children. For the first 6 months 160 newborns were enrolled in the project.

Magna Children at Risk operates the PMTCT program in the Kombewa District Hospital and the Nyahera Health Center in Nyanza province, where it provides technical support of the government health facilities, complex medical and social care for mothers and children, substitutive food during the first 6 months of life, and complementary food for the first year. Maternal milk contains the HIV virus and therefore Magna Children at Risk recommends mothers either exclusive breastfeeding or exclusive formula feeding, where it provides free milk substitute. Magna Children at Risk PMTCT field ambassadors ensure the correct hygiene and care of children is maintained. Magna also reconstructs and expands local health facilities.

MAGNA is present in Kenya since 2007.