Gay Survey In Kenya, A First In Africa

Kenya is launching a nationwide survey to determine the number of gay men in the country in their latest effort to combat the spread of HIV.

The survey, conducted by the National Aids/STD Control Programme (Nascop), is a first in Africa. Officials hope that the survey will facilitate targeted intervention programs, such as condom distribution, dissemination of safer-sex information and voluntary HIV testing.

"We cannot continue excluding this group identified as a key driver to new HIV/Aids infections," Nascop Director Nicholas Muraguri told the Standard newspaper in Nairobi.

The survey is an important move against increasing HIV numbers in the country, but may be undermined by laws that prohibit homosexuality. Gay men may be hesitant to identify themselves since under Kenyan penal code, passed down from British colonial rule, homosexual acts are punishable by up to 14 years in jail.