Nyanza has highest rate of HIV/Aids infections
MEDICAL experts in Nyanza province have raised concern over the increase of HIV/Aids patients in the region. The medics said the number of those taking Anti Retro-Virals in Nyanza is twice those in other regions.
Nyanza provincial Aids and Sexually Transmitted Diseases coordinator Charles Okal said the province had enrolled over 502,144 people for HIV care and treatment by the end of 2011 with more than 222,734 people currently using ARVs. He said the figures in the province surpass any other region in the country where some have as few as 10,000 people on ART care.
By 2011 Nyanza had 531,736 people living with HIV against the national figure of 1.5 million that translate to about 40 percent against the national average. According to Okal more than 64,000 people are started on ARVs monthly. The province has over 14,480 people who are yet to be started on ART and over 221,535 taking prophylaxis drugs. Prophylaxis drugs are given to those who are accidentally exposed HIV/Aids to reduce chances of infection. Female adults who use prophylaxis are more than 129,000 with 12,027 girls below the age of 14 use the same.
According to the data collected from various health facilities in the province more than 6,700 pregnant women were started on ARVs while 8,926 children were given infant preventive ARVs. However Okal said the figures indicate a reduction in new infections. Okal made the announcement in Kisumu during a week-long training organised by internews on reporting of HIV and voluntary medical male circumcision.
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