The State of Hiv / Aids/tb Co-infections in Kenya: the Impact of Environment, Resource Management, and Culture

Shorttitle: HIV/AIDS/TB in Kenya Mario J. Azevedo, Gwendolyn S. Prater, and Sandra Hayes argue that, without a deeper understanding of Kenya's cultural norms and practices on HIV/TB, which are spreading alarmangly in Kenya, scholars and health professionals will not be able to eradicate or meaningfully contain the devastating impact of the twin epidemics. A focus on factors such as the environment and the distribution and management of scarce resources alone represent only a fraction of what is needed to restore the health of the people and have them respond positively to the efforts made by the government authorities, health care providers, and humanitarians of international organizations. The three authors acknowledge the small victories Kenya has achieved against the burden of disease. However, without an integrated approach to the reduction and eradication of the many man-made and environmental factors responsible for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, diabetes, and other ailments, which together weaken and inhibit people's immune system, Kenya's health future will remain bleak for many years to come.