Stigma remains the biggest challenge in the fight against HIV-Aids in Garissa county, area anti-Aids and STI coordinator Noor Sheikh Ahmed has said.
Speaking in Garissa Primary School on Thursday to mark World HIV-Aids Day, Ahmed said the stigma is fuelled by ignorance.
However, he said sustained and aggressive campaigns by players through the media has helped reduce HIV, especially in rural areas where stigma is rampant.
HIV-Aids rates in Garissa came down to 0.9 from 2.1 per cent in 2013, according to National Aids Control Council data.
The official said 52 per cent of those infected are on ARVs. He attributed this to campaigns which have created awareness, leading to more residents going for tests.
“This is encouraging because people are testing themselves and seeking treatment. That is why the prevalence rates have come down,” Ahmed said.
He said most people have no idea how HIV is transmitted. He wants more youths to go for testing, treatment and counselling.
