By DANN OKOTH

Older people could be at more risk of dying from the Aids scourge than previously thought, a seminar on HIV/Aids heard in Nairobi today.

It emerged that people aged 50-79 years are now more at risk of contracting HIV as the pandemic assumes shocking new dimensions in the country.

The risk factors arise from perceived immunity due to their advanced age, exclusion from national prevention strategies and lingering socio-economic factors that alienate older people.

This could soon develop into a crisis as older people who form the majority of caregivers of children orphaned by HIV/Aids, die.

"There is an assumption that HIV only affects younger people, that older people do not have sex and, therefore, not at risk of infection," said Douglas Lackey, Regional Advocacy Manager at HelpAge International.

"This assumption is perpetuated by epidemic monitoring that continues to focus on the 15-49 age group," he added.

The seminar, whose theme was, Mainstreaming Ageing in HIV/Aids Data Desegregation by Age and Gender, sought to find solutions for apparent neglect of older people as far HIV/Aids is concerned.

In Kenya the 7.4 prevalent rates for the 50-54 age-group is the same as that for the 20-24 age-group. But the latter is widely recognised as key target group in HIV/Aids response, while people aged 50 and above remain largely ignored.

Participants were shocked to learn that a recent study showed that people aged 50-79 years are now at more risk of contracting HIV/Aids.

VCT data from Western Kenya collated by HelpAge International showed that from the 235 people aged 50-59 sampled, 43 per cent were positive, while 188 of those aged 60-69 retuned 19 per cent positive and 113 aged between 70-79 returned eight per cent positive.

The figures could be higher, especially because data in these categories are often not accurately captured in the Kenya Aids Indicator Survey (KAIS).

"Majority of the older people do not visit VCT centres to know their HIV status due to the stigma attached to the disease," said Lackey.

"Most of the VCTs are manned by young people and the older people feel ashamed revealing their sexual life to younger people because to them this is a taboo," he added.

The tragedy is more older people now have sex with younger girls whom they induce with cash offers, thereby exacerbating HIV/Aids situation in the country.

"Intergenerational sex is rampant in the country and unless checked could further complicate HIV/Aids situation in the country including guardian-less orphans left behind by dead parents and grandparents," said Lackey.

"This risk factors for older people the same as other age groups. A number of specific factors also increase risk of sexual transmission as people age, including a thinning of the vaginal walls that occurs when women go through menopause," said Fatuma Gatcoga of Kenya Orphan Support Organisation (Koso).

The media has also failed to play its part in highlighting HIV/Aids issues in older people.

"The often want to portray and frame older persons as heroes and not necessarily the hopeless victims of circumstances beyond their control," observed Anthony Wafula, a media consultant.

He noted, however, that coverage is motivated by newsworthiness adding that the media need easy access to information.