Alarm as 7 infected with HIV every day

An Aids educator explains about CD4 cells. At least seven new HIV infections are reported daily in Mombasa.PHOTO/FILE

By  REBECCA OKWANY

What you need to know:

  • At 44 per cent, the county also has the highest rate of new infections among vulnerable groups like homosexuals, female sex workers and drugs users.
  • The high rate of stigma on the infected and dwindling donor funding are hampering the war against the virus, he said and asked both the national and county governments and civil society groups to push for more funding from the county Treasury to provide medication and awareness.

At least seven new HIV infections are reported daily in Mombasa.

At 44 per cent, the county also has the highest rate of new infections among vulnerable groups like homosexuals, female sex workers and drugs users.

The statistics are worrying when viewed against the nationwide rate which stands at 33 among the same groups, National Aids Control Council (Nacc) Coast regional coordinator Julius Koome told a forum at the weekend.

Also Read

The high rate of stigma on the infected and dwindling donor funding are hampering the war against the virus, he said and asked both the national and county governments and civil society groups to push for more funding from the county Treasury to provide medication and awareness.

RISK FACTORS

“New infections are still high and so is stigma even as we have made significant progress in reducing the HIV infections over years.

“We must put out the fire of these new infections or our efforts in fighting the virus will all be in vain,” said Mr Koome.

The day-long forum held at the Sai Rock hotel was to examine infections trends in the county and reflect on concerns of those who are infected with the virus.

Participants spoke out on how factors such as early marriages and gender based violence expose women and girls to HIV infection.

The workshop was a follow-up on an ongoing initiative to have county First Ladies lead in the fight against HIV/Aids in their respective regions.

It is envisaged that this will support First Lady Margaret Kenyatta’s Beyond Zero Campaign which targets to reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission and boost maternal and child health at the county level.

The county First Ladies are expected to push for increased allocation of funds within county budgets for the management of the mobile clinics.

“It is envisaged that the efforts of the county First Ladies will contribute to the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV,” Mr Koome said.

The forum also aimed at enabling the participants understand the national and county HIV/Aids infection trends and appropriate responses.

In the headlines