 Thank you so much for keeping it. Why in the morning this is why to fight for it if it was you're just joining us Just in time for the next conversation of the day. My name is Ram Aguco It's all about awareness on infectious diseases this particular Tuesday morning and today we're talking about health and You know, we need to understand this especially among the youth. Why do we have? An increased rate of infectious diseases among the youth. What do we do to mitigate it? Well, that's the science and the symptoms that we should be looking out for well These particular conversation is of interest to you. Remember, we are coming to you live from the broadcasting house in Orbeek, Kenya. We're also live on our website at www.kbc.co.ke 4 slash y254. Oh, welcome to you today in this conversation. I'm joined by dr. Lydia Atambo She's a public health specialist. She's a medical doctor by profession and she has a very good CV. She's a master's holder masters in public health and He has she has her MSc in tropical and infectious diseases. Thank you so much for joining me. Thank you for having me. Hope you're well I'm very well Remember you can be part of this conversation from wherever you're watching us from the hashtag as always is why in the morning At Ram Aguco that Michelle Asheera at Y254 channel is where you can find us head over to Facebook Drop in your comment on the comment section on Facebook as we continue this conversation both on Facebook and on Twitter this is all about awareness of infectious diseases So make sure that you also ask your questions to the doctor here She will be sure to answer your questions as you continue with this conversation that area Tell us a bit more about yourself You you are at Amre. I work at Amre So I'm a research. I work in the research department And I'm also the head of department in the community health department where we train community health workers. Now, these are community Personnel who go and help the community and teach them how to stay healthy and how to prevent infections So they they they bridge a very important gap between Prevention and treatment. So in between that there should be knowledge We are you telling people what to do and how to do this like a form of pruning after they have left their Institutions of learning now they come to get more training in regards to how to handle people on the ground We actually have a course that trains people who are called community health workers And they have they should be stationed in the community and they should be empowering the community And they are the gap that will facilitate the Implementation of the universal health coverage. Yeah So you you you you work in the research section. Yes, I'm sure you've done so many research projects Yes What are some of the findings that you've acquired over the past few years that you've been working in at Amre That have really caught your attention that we really need to consider even during this conversation Well, I'll just mention something about the COVID study because COVID is relevant to us now that as the youth We should focus on getting our information about COVID from relevant sources WTO Amre, Ministry of Health, you know, there's there's so much information in the internet that you might get lost So my message would be go to the right channel get it from the right source The you you you've discovered that so many people are getting Misinformed You know people are afraid of getting Vaccine one or go up and they are they want to say what if I am sick? What if it has a particular side effect? Yeah, but that is all the case Is there any connection between infectious diseases and and COVID and should it should what should Kenyans be be afraid of? You never to go pay a common So you're not afraid. Yes, what I want to say is that infectious diseases are very many They are very many that there's bacteria. There's fungus. I will not get into it But there are small small organisms that are around us and Sometimes can cause infection and the infection can be mild, you know, like when you get Homer that that is also an infection So how my home is an if it is a form of infection because if you sneeze I get it You know, if I'm near you you sneeze I get it So there's a whole spectrum of conditions nearby that I mean there is HIV There is HPV there is COVID. So all those types of infectious diseases interesting. Yes, so So what we're here to say is that there are simple ways you can use to ensure that you stay healthy and And and and getting vaccinated is one of the ways and getting vaccinated is one of the ways You should not be afraid of doing that No, but but perhaps I should start by telling a story of the Spanish flu. You've heard of the Spanish flu Yeah, I have I have so in 1918 they had a similar phenomenon like this one a hundred years ago where there was a flu that just started and it was part of the COVID family and So the people there were wondering why are people getting coughs and colds and chest pains and Before they could figure it out. It was during the war. They were taken to a concentration camp So in the concentration camp the infection spread, you know, when you're in an army, you're close together Training together and that's how the infection spread and the people in the military camp got scared And they were wondering why are the young people getting sick? And so they called the parents to come in watch the young people and that is how the Flu that started small spread to the whole world and it killed it affected 400 million people but killed a hundred million people So the question is if this was a case that was similar to what we have now, how did they stop the infections? How did the pandemic end and when you go back to literature you you will find that they used simple methods They washed their hands They started physical distancing social distance. You know these things that were being told Don't go anywhere if you don't need to go in they didn't have vaccines then Yeah, so 400 people were infected then 400 million people and a hundred million people died died Let's compare with now. So now we have covid we have 200 million people who've been affected and 4.5 million people who have died so far So you can see that if you compare our story to then there's improvement Maybe we are washing hands better. Maybe we are physical Distancing better maybe medicine has improved, but there's also the issue of vaccines So and technology and technology. So when you talk about vaccination, it is just introducing a bit of Treatment that makes sure that your body is fully protected from the infection So that in case you're one of the few who will be adversely affected then you are protected now Coming to today. Yes, what are some of these infectious diseases that are actually even common even among the youth? Yes, at a time like this. We are in the 21st century Yes, we are I'm sure you've you've seen so many people are coming into your facility You know trying to get help here or here or there, you know You've come across some that are very very common among the youth among the youth We we I want to mention three and I'll start with the of course HIV We are all in relationships. We are relational beings and I don't Have noted you use the word of course Why why not of course? We are social human beings. So it goes without saying that we are in relationship. It was expected. Yes But do we observe a bcd abstain be faithful use account a condom? You know, do we do those things contraceptives? Yes If we do such things then we prevent the spread of HIV the second one I want to talk about is hepatitis Everywhere I look at the youth nowadays. I'm still a user. I hope yeah Although we need to gauge that from Do you get that from age or looks at all? Yeah, so but you look young Yeah, so when whenever I interact with the youth, I see tattoos nowadays Tattoos tattoos. Yeah, they're very common. They're very common and and they are spreading both in in favor and and in glamour So it is glamorous to have a tattoo. It's a thing. It's a thing. I don't have one But I have so many friends who have tattoos on their shoulders on the, you know Elbow but the question you should be asking is where are they getting these tattoos from is it are they from? Certified places are those places clean because tattoos if they are done wrongly and from places that are not clean Then we get the spread of hepatitis Which is known to be the main one of the main infectious diseases that causes liver cancer So in fact even in our repository of data, we are seeing us as an increase agent an Incremental rise in the cases of hepatitis Among the population. So there's a connection between a tattoo and Liver cancer. Yes, that's quite interesting. That is not clean and Certified so my message to the youth is as as we stay updated and relevant even in terms of fashion Please get your tattoos from places that are good and certified Yeah, because that can be one of the channels that you can get infected Because now you get some Reaction. Yeah, you know, it's a needle. Yeah, when you're doing the tattoo It's a small needle that keeps pricking and implanting the ink. Yes, and and getting this nice picture that you want but in doing that this Transfer fluid body fluid. So you've mentioned among the youth we have HIV Hepatitis and do you know it different types of hepatitis? Yes, they're different types. So is there any particular one that is Hepatitis B and C. B and C. Yeah Also, but those are BC and D are the ones we're worried about. Any other infection that is common among the youth? COVID. Let us talk about COVID Wow, okay. Yes. So if if you look at the rate of infection In in the country, what are the measures that we need to put in place to reduce the rate of infection in Among the youth and especially in Kenya. I want to say All the things we have been hearing from the Ministry of Health wash your hands Cough etiquette, you know, you cough properly and and physical distancing and social distancing But at this point I want to address our leaders. Are we facilitating that? How many what percentage of Kenyans have access to clean water? 60% you feel like most of the work There's more that can be done. What percentage of Kenyans have access to toilets simple toilet 30% Even as you talk about sanitation, even as you talk about So when we're talking about prevention of infectious diseases, there's a there's an impact that poverty Plays into the equation so that if you are not empowering our people so that they're not living in poverty and living in a small space And then you talk about physical distancing, you know, it doesn't really work So in the prevention of COVID when you talk about physical distancing people should live in a spacious environment, you know so So I want to talk about first of all as leaders let us Rise above and and ensure that our people have good living standards Then number two, of course, there's an individual element where we all have to take responsibility And wash our hands and cough properly and physical distancing and wear our masks and stay away from Physical gatherings, you know things like that. Now you say so the our leaders play a big role They do in reducing the rate of infectious diseases. Yes, they do they do Looking at the economic stability of the country and it's a ripple effect in the health sector Is there a way that the common money G can be able to, you know cushion themselves because COVID came it affected everything and It has affected the rate of poverty in the contender and you've clearly stated that poverty has an effect on Increasing the rate of infectious diseases. Yes. So the truth is COVID took us by surprise. All of us. All of us. None of us were ready Even the first world countries are grappling and trying to develop policies as they're moving. Yeah, so so I cannot I cannot Claim that that we won't we should have been ready. Maybe we would have made a few plans in advance But it caught all of us by surprise. There's some people who say that strategic leadership or Played a big role here, you know thinking ahead. Yes planning ahead Yes, like I keep reverting to the Spanish flu after that after all those people had died They created committees and subcommittees and they were saying we need to be on standby because another pandemic and that only lasted 10 years I mean, it's it's very quickly So so in the quest to Prepare for another pandemic there can be burnout But it doesn't mean that we cannot put the steps in place to ensure that our people are cushioned So we are ready poor and COVID we have lost jobs. We the economy has been affected tourism has died You know, so the physical distancing these things that we do, you know, you go to a party and people make money off Yeah, so that has been affected, but hopefully we will rise above that Hopefully we will One day we will see a reduction in the number of slums we have in the country. Yes, because you're saying We are talking about social distancing yet There are any recommendations that you like to give to the government In regards to how the government can be able to help in this fight or improve voice of improving In the fight against infectious diseases. I think the government response has been excellent. They have done their best. They have Put in resources. We have always been crying for more resources to be pulled into the health Yeah, yeah, so finally everyone is on the health revolution is excellent. Yeah they have Partnered with the right partners. They are making the right policies and regulations They are doing what they can they are they're bringing in vaccines It is our now our responsibility to go and get vaccinated because the vaccines are coming in They are now coming in. So We we should not be hesitant Abroad there's a lot of people are getting vaccinated Locally we only have we are only at 3% that have only been vaccinated fully vaccinated. So we can see that there's a lot that Individually we can do to get back stand up and go and get vaccinated. Yeah, yeah, yeah make that decision and go and get Vaccinated now now that you're talking about people making that decision to go get vaccinated the youth play a Big role in this particular decision making because without them I fear the rates of Vaccination could reduce if the youth don't you know are not at the forefront. Yeah, if they don't go forward and you know Get jabbed For infectious diseases and among the youth Do we have any Science and symptoms that we need to be looking out for as individuals that Can be able to tell me that hey, I think I have an infectious disease and I need to go get checked up and need to get to a medical facility and Seek medical attention. What are some of these science and symptoms of these infectious diseases that we have been mentioning throughout this conversation So the infectious diseases are as varied as they come. Yeah, so we can start with malaria. You'll feel sick you'll vomit you'll feel You know Then you can have diarrhea if you have cholera dysentery, you know You can have if you if it's TB or Pneumonia, then you can cough and you have chest pain if you if it's an STD We are talking about herpes HIV then you have discharge and pain on urination So so depending on the infectious disease that we're talking about that the symptoms are as varied as they come Yeah, but so long as you feel and well remember that What we look out for is that you get treated quickly Because you can become a source of infecting someone else. Remember we said the infectious I sit here. I can give it to you some easier than others. What? TB I cough you get Covid I cough you get you know if there's a mosquito here it can spread malaria from me to you Yeah, so depending on the method of transmission The sooner we can have more people protected We will have what we call herd immunity herd immunity means we are all in this room Covid wants to infect people But because you're protected and protected everyone is protected then what happens is it doesn't have anyone to infect So when we are saying everyone should get vaccinated so that the pandemic can go away We are looking for herd immunity. Yeah, the more people are protected. The more covid won't have anyone to attack You know which which takes me to wonder what do What should how should it be for people stay in the asshole areas there are it and semi arid areas, you know We are we saw last week when the president declared the drought a national disaster Is there a way that the rate of infectious diseases in those particular areas can be mitigated You know now they have a double burden of Issues that that make them prone to infectious diseases. They are not nearby. So transportation to medical facilities problem Yeah, they have they lack access to clean water Poverty so, you know, these are now they don't even have food and remember food when you eat well Your immunity is good. Yeah, when you mean it is good. Do you you fight infectious now? You have droughts now You have droughts and and they are in between there. They are they are vulnerable populations pregnant women We should be breastfeeding. So what happens to the children? What happens to the elderly? What happens to the pregnant women? so Again we as a society we should be Supporting such vulnerable populations to try and reduce the impact that infectious diseases would have on them Yeah, yeah, we need to come together as a society. Yeah, because there are different layers of intervention Yeah, I saw I saw they're ready. They can already cross coming in. Yeah, you know trying to send aid there Yes, we are also going to a time where there is a cold season coming up What I thought in regards to this does that have an effect on the rate of infectious diseases during this time? You've seen so it has been draining for for quite some time now. Yeah So, of course infections come in seasons when you get into rain Then perhaps you can start talking about the area and and such Because the water is not able to be cleaned as well as it should and is run-off. So at this time people need to be more aware Yeah, so there's actually an increase in rotavirus. So I mean infections are seasonal. They come in depending on the periods Yeah, and If if you're looking in terms of the period There is there was a time during the COVID that we had an increase in the rate of the people who are not Right now it's different but there was a time that people are so afraid of Getting the vaccines because they were talking about the underlying issues that were there Which takes me to wonder when Someone goes to get the vaccine. Is there a way that you can be able to Predetermine that I have this disease And I'm okay getting the job But and for someone else to say that I have this disease and I'm not okay to get that job Are there particular infectious diseases that Can clash Yes, so we have different types of vaccines and there are some that Are not too strong. So when they come into your system Your body can handle it but if you if you know you have a fever or your Immune system is compromised. Usually when you have a fever it means there's an infection going on Don't get a don't get vaccinated because probably the vaccine will come in and might cause Get you to become more sick before you become better So we usually tell such people if you have a fever don't get vaccinated but for all of us who There's no obvious contraindication for not getting vaccinated remember when you are less than one year old how many vaccines did we get If you have a child who is less than one year, all you do is ask your boss for time off because you're always BCG I don't know one two three four and and So the the issue of the vaccine not being safe is is is my is not very True because vaccines have been there. We have used them There's an issue about fertility I don't think Kenya has a problem of infatility. In fact, our population is growing, you know, so the vaccines did not stop The ability to to be fertile there is there's this particular Doctor, I am here to confirm if he is one But he was alleging that in the next 10 20 years That the mortality rate will have been affected by the vaccines that we have received The the creation and and development of vaccines is so stringent It is it is so tightly guarded and and they keep monitoring the side effects the adverse effects It is so well monitored. Those vaccines are safe and that's why we give vaccines to our younger children The reason we vaccinate small children and not ourselves is because the immune system is vulnerable So the only difference now is that COVID has come and we are all vulnerable both the young ones and the old Yeah, so that's why we are saying old people go get vaccinated. So because maybe because me a big person I'm being told to get vaccinated now you it's creating confusion and so regardless of season it is still okay. It is fine even for women who Does it affect does hormonal changes have any effects on infectious diseases? Yes, hormonal effect like for example when you're pregnant, you're more vulnerable to malaria infection Yes, and because your immunity, I mean your body is hosting two people. So everything is half half your lack of a better Description so so you're more vulnerable to a bit more infections But even they are being allowed to get the COVID vaccine and of course There are some who who have been adversely adversely affected, but most of the people are getting it and they are healthy and they are okay Mm-hmm. And so so for that is for women who for the for the pregnant women and no other hormonal No other hormonal problems, please get vaccinated if you're old, please get back in it If you're young, please get vaccinated. What we want is herd immunity once we have herd immunity COVID will not have anywhere to latch Now I want us to bring this conversation to a close initially you mentioned HIV. Yes, and I was Why while getting to Know your background. I saw that you are you are so you're interested in HIV prevalence. Yes You've done work in that particular field As we speak So many youths have this tendency, but you know people is a lot afraid of HIV not They are afraid actually of pregnancy What is telling them is if someone can get pregnant? What would be your tip? Some of the tips that you'd like to give that Kenyan youth who is watching you today in regards to the to this particular area of HIV Infections what I want to say is that children are blessings You should not be scared of pregnancy According to me, you should be very scared of HIV because Once you get HIV then you carry it for life, you know, you're going to the clinic every month You're swallowing tablets and then over time the burden of the infection which is HIV and the drugs They overwhelm the body. So what I would say is ABC Abstain be faithful use a condom, you know Again it comes back to poverty or or is it is it society that that it is okay to get a sponsor. Why are we getting sponsored? Perhaps it's it's perhaps it's poverty. Perhaps it's it's it is what is the norm It is luck, you know, but if someone wants money So even in that push of of of doing what we do, please be careful because HIV Is is a burden you'll carry for life. Yeah, and it has serious ramifications Financially emotionally physical. It's quite draining. Yeah, and it's quite challenging as a stakeholder to be able to Spread the word out there for people to be able to understand how to actually curb the rate of infectious diseases Yeah, I want us to off to find out to finish this conversation and I want to give you five minutes 30 seconds. Yeah Have a final word Speak to that can you that can you're researching you a parent a mother or a father in regards to the you know Awareness of infectious diseases. What should be their take home that thing that they shouldn't forget Even as they go through that they should be active my take home is that because of COVID infection I think we've been washing our hands more What has also happened is that we've seen a decrease in the rate of infectious diseases Calls and coughs maybe because we are wearing masks coughs and colds. They are real diseases have sort of gone down So my message to you is that these things work. Let us wash our hands more Let us ensure that you are boiling our drinking water Let us have safe food, you know, if you're preparing food for your family wash it properly for the youth Choose your partners carefully before you engage in anything. Please go through a HIV test If you're getting a tattoo, please do your homework properly ensure that the tattoo parlor is safe For COVID, of course, we have said all these things where your mask wash your hands, but most of all get vaccinated So what we are saying is that these infections are there, but there are things we can do to prevent them Amen. I mean, yeah, thank you so much. I have to say, I don't know It's in the system Thank you so much, Dr. Lydia for finding me a funny time to join me today. It's it's it's an honor. We have actually Touched somebody today. I believe that from home you have gotten something in regards to this particular conversation on infectious diseases Let's mitigate it. Let's fight it. Let's reduce it. There's something you can do. There's something I can do exactly We all play a role in this Where can people find you if they want if they want to get a hold of him? I'm at Amref Amref where we work to inspire the next generation of Transformational health care leadership, please come to Amref. We have different courses that we are carrying out. We also have Projects in different communities where we are supporting different communities. Please come to Amref. Thank you so much From wherever you're watching us from that we just to the end of this particular conversation on Awareness on infectious diseases hoping that you've learned one two or three things. Surely I have Keep the conversation going on our social media platforms. We're taking a short break. We'll be back in a bit. Keep it one in the morning