Author: Philder Odanga

By Philder Odanga Susan Otieno, a 35-year-old sex worker, smiles with assurance as a gynaecologist conducts a test to establish if she has any infections. It is easy to tell her confidence level from a distance as she undergoes a test many of her colleagues have failed. She is among several sex workers who are considered high-risk groups for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) owing to the nature of their work. Such infections include syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and HIV/AIDS, among others. In the past, few sex workers overcame the stigma associated with their work to seek medical attention in health facilities.…