Thursday, 1 December 2016 was yet another day to celebrate World Aids day. This is a day to reflect as a citizenry (and populace) on the strides we have made in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

But first. What are the statistics?

According to UNAIDS 2016 report, an estimated 25.5 million people living with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa. The vast majority of them (an estimated 19 million) live in east and southern Africa which saw 46% of new HIV infections globally in 2015. Around 40% of all people living with HIV do not know that they have the virus.

Back home in Kenya, an estimated 1.5Million are living with HIV and with a single digit adult prevalence of 5.9%.

My question simply is. With the advancement in research, the growing awareness campaigns and the availability of Anti Retro-viral therapy, why the heck is there such stigma and discrimination in 2016?

Picture this. If you saw me walk to a Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) centre, what reaction comes to mind? That he is going to check his status, perhaps because he had been of rabid sexual activity?

On the very #WAD2016, I met with my lecturer, Dr. Rotich who opined that when somebody walks to an M-Pesa shop, the confidence level by both the client and the shop attendant is that there will be successful transaction(s). Yet this is not the case, albeit, with a VCT centre. It seems to me that both the client and the attendant at the centre both do not expect to be at the place. Worse still, if it is somebody who knows you. Yet doing the test is simply taking responsibility over my future and the plight of my dependents.How can voluntary testing and counseling be made friendly?

The HIV Vaccine Trials Network (@HelpEnd HIV), a South African based agency is in the quest of finding a vaccine for this deadly virus. I would not dare belabor the genomics of the trials, but I am sure there is hope at the end of the tunnel. If the trials of the vaccine become successful, what is the anticipated change in social behavior?

Next time you have TIME (paradox isn’t it?), walk yourself to a VCT centre and take control over your own life. If we meet there, let’s celebrate each other for being bold enough.