The Determinant of the Relationship between the Knowledge on HIV/AIDS and Safety Measures Taken by MSEs in Gikomba Market, Nairobi, Kenya.

Authors

  • Cyprian Nkondi Kenyatta University, Department of Business Administration
  • M .A. G. Ofafa Kenyatta University, Department of Business Administration
  • B. P. Kibas Kabarak University, School of Business,
  • Thomas F. N. Thoruwa Pwani University, School of Pure and Applied Sciences

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.11.59

Abstract

Kenya is among the world’s nations affected by HIV/AIDS with the virus claiming 600 people per day.  The most endangered are the young people of the age bracket of 15-49 years who own/managers and employees of the Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs).  The pandemic has negatively impacted on the successful management of MSEs in Kenya.  This study was carried out to determine the relationship between the knowledge on HIV/Aids and safety measures taken by MSEs in Gikomba market, Nairobi, Kenya. AIDS was recognized in 1984 and by 1995, 73,179 HIV/AIDS deaths related cases had been reported in Kenya. Presently, it is estimated that about 2.2 million Kenyans are infected with HIV/AIDS, while 1.5 million have already died from the virus. However, this figure has gone dawn to 1.6 million.  The sectoral impact of HIV/AIDS studies done so far has tended to lean on health, education, military, communications, information and agriculture.  Little work has been done to investigate the effects of HIV/AIDS on MSEs’ management despite its importance in the economic development and its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Kenya.  MSEs contribute 18% to the GDP in Kenya. The research was conducted using descriptive survey design to establish the relationship between the variables in the study of large group of individuals by studying a small group.  The study used interview guide and questionnaires for data collection to achieve the desired objectives.  The findings have showed that the deaths caused by either HIV/AIDS or its related immunodeficiency illnesses were common among the owners/ managers of MSEs at Gikomba market as attested by 80% on the entrepreneurs interviewed.  The effects of HIV/AIDS on MSEs was found to be 93.3% of the about entrepreneurs interviewed. These effects were seen through loss of profits to meet expenses on HIV/AIDS ailments, contributions to medical bills, drug expenses, food supplements, absenteeism from work, psychological trauma, stigmatisation and deaths.  The study also showed that 100% of owners/managers of MSEs are very much aware of HIV/AIDS and its effects but failed to manage it through behaviour change. It was concluded that the effects of HIV/AIDS on MSEs in terms of increased costs of running their businesses was due to cost of medical bills, burial expenses, drugs and food supplements, reduced productivity and absenteeism from work.  The knowledge and awareness of HIV/AIDS, influence decisions and measures taken by MSEs owners/managers to control, manage and plan for the future of their businesses. The study has recommended measures that can be taken to control and manage the HIV/AIDS among the MSEs to reduce the effects including continued effort on awareness campaign among MSEs, change of policy and approach towards combating HIV/AIDS and direct involvement of MSEs owners/ managers and their employees in the campaign against HIV/AIDS pandemic. 

Keywords: HIV/AIDS pandemic, Management of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) Gikomba market, Nairobi, Kenya 

References

AIDSCAP (1996). Aids in Kenya Socio-Economic Impact and Policy Implications. USA: US Agency for International Development.

Barnett, T and Blaike, P. (1992). Aids in Africa: Its Present and Future Impact. London: Bellhaven Press.

Bell, J. (1993). Doing your Research Project. A Guide for First Time Researchers in Education and Social Science. USA: Open University Press.

Brookmeyer, R. (1994). Aids Epidemiologist A Quantitative Approach. New York. USA: Oxford University Press.

Brough, M. (1970). Understanding the Small Business. USA: USA and Canada Barclays DTI, the Department for Enterprise, Toronto.

Carolyne, W. N. (2000). Influence of Socio-Cultural and economic Risk Factors in Spread of HIV/Aids and other Sexually Transmitted diseases. A case study of Kisumu Municipality. Nyanza, Kenya.

Car’valan, O. V. (1987), Vocational Training for Disadvantaged Youth in Developing Countries. ILO, Geneva.

Carpenter, C.G. (1987). The New Business Success Formula. Trend Publications. USA: Honolulu, Hawaii.

Gibb, A. (1988). Stimulating Entrepreneurship and New Business Development, ILO Geneva.

G O K (1988). Sessional paper No. 6 of 1988 on Working Party on Education and Man Power Training in the Next Decade and Beyond. Nairobi: Government Printers.

G O K (1989). Strategy for Small Enterprise Development in Kenya towards the year 2000. Nairobi: Government Printers.

G O K (1992). Sessional Paper No. 2 of 1992 on Small Scale Enterprises and Jua Kali Development in Kenya. Nairobi: Government Printers,

G O K (1996). National Aids and STDs Control Program of Kenya. The Second Five-Year Medium Term Plan for Aids Control, Nairobi. Government printers.

G O K (1997). Sessional Paper No. 4 of 1997 on Aids in Kenya. Nairobi: Government Printer.

G O K (1999). Population and Housing Census. Population distribution by Administrative areas and urban Centres; Central Bureau of Statistics, Nairobi Government Printers.

G O K (2001). Aids in Kenya. Background Policy Impact Intervention Policy. Ministry of Health. Nairobi – Kenya.

Goulding, S. (1984) Analysis and Presentation of Information. London, Harper and Row.

Harvey, V. F. (1988). The Social Dimension of Aids, USA.

Available from website: http://www.google .com

ILO (1971). Self-Employment and Informal Sector in Kenya’s Economic Development. Kenya Nairobi.

ILO/UNDP (1994). Entrepreneurship Education Project. A National Model. Kenya Technical Teachers College. Nairobi, Kenya.

John, W. B. and James, V. K. (1993). Research in Education. Toronto, USA.

K’aol, G. O. (1994). Perception of Craftsmen and Apprentices regarding Self-employment Skill acquisitions in Kenya informal sector. University of Illinois – Champaign, USA.

Kibwana, K. (1992). HIV/Aids and the Law in Kenya. Preliminary Observations working Paper No. 484 AIDS Nairobi – Kenya.

Maalu, J. (1993). Trends and Issues in Entrepreneurship Development. Jomo Kenyatta University College of Agriculture and Technology. Nairobi

Maitha, J. and Odiege, O. (1997). A Research paper presented to Jua Kali Workshop Nairobi. April 1997(African Development Foundation and Regional Centre for Social Economic Studies). Nairobi.

UNAIDS. Global facts and figures: The global AIDS epidemic. Available at: http://data.unaids.org/pub/FactSheet/2009/20091123_FS_global_en.pdf

WHO. Facts about health in the African Region of WHO. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs314/en/index.html

Downloads

Published

2014-02-03

How to Cite

Nkondi, C., Ofafa, M. .A. G., Kibas, B. P., & Thoruwa, T. F. N. (2014). The Determinant of the Relationship between the Knowledge on HIV/AIDS and Safety Measures Taken by MSEs in Gikomba Market, Nairobi, Kenya. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 1(1), 60–71. https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.11.59

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2014): Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal

Section

Articles

License

Authors wishing to include figures, tables, or text passages that have already been published elsewhere are required to obtain permission from the copyright owner(s) for both the print and online format and to include evidence that such permission has been granted when submitting their papers. Any material received without such evidence will be assumed to originate from the authors.