NAIROBI, Oct 22 (AFP) - Amid dancing and the rhythmic pounding of drums, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on Friday urged Kenya to redouble efforts to fight HIV infection and AIDS, which claims the lives of 16 Kenyans every hour.

"AIDS is stealing Kenya's future," Albright told several hundred children and young adults gathered at a local health ministry office here after watching an energetic and educational dance routine aimed at youth education about the deadly disease.

"It has already reduced life expectancy by 15 years and turned back the clock on development," she said, praising Kenya for establishing a comprehensive HIV/AIDS policy but imploring Nairobi to do more.

"There is much more to do and there is no time to lose," Albright said, offering US assistance in whatever form possible.

The AIDS pandemic has left Kenya, along with many other African countries, swimming in a sea of grim statistics.

An average of 500 people per day die of the disease in Kenya and between 13 and 14 percent of all adults, about 1.9 million people, are infected with HIV, the virus that causes it, according the health ministry.

As many as 760,000 Kenyans have already died of the disease and with some 200,000 expected to contract HIV this year, the government estimates their deaths are causing an economic loss to the country of 2.7 million dollars a day.

In addition, with a rise in infection rates, Kenya's already struggling health care system is sure to be overwhelmed with new cases.

"We must recognise this threat for what it is -- not only a risk to public health but a disaster for economic progress, social justice and basic security in Kenya and throughout Africa," Albright said.

The United States is one of the largest donors to Kenya's anti-AIDS programme, providing five million dollars a year, but Washington has recently proposed a new 100-million-dollar programme to cover 14 African nations, including Kenya, together with India.

Kenyan Health Minister Sam Ongeri appealed to Albright to enhance the US contribution to his country's AIDS programme.

He compared the gravity and shock of the magnitude of the problem to that which met the terrorist bombing of the US embassy here in August 1998.

"Last year the bomb blast was extremely devastating to the minds of many Kenyans," Ongeri said. "We do consider HIV/AIDS another bomb blast that we must treat and handle with temendous care."

Albright said she would push US lawmakers hard to fund the programme which, she said, she hoped would promote activities such as the lively programme performed for her Friday by the Talking Drums of Africa and the Flames Theatre.

The drama and oral narrative wove traditional Kenyan folklore in with the modern message of the dangers of HIV and AIDS accompanied by percussion, horns and lively, swirling interpretative dance.

991022
AF991030

Copyright © AFP or Agence France-Presse, 1999 - AFP stories and photos shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, that no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP photos or materials. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP stories, photos or graphics.  http://www.afp.com/