Garissa county continues to record high levels of stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV which now stands at 60 per cent.
This is despite having a very low prevalence rate of 0.4 per cent.
Other counties with relatively low HIV prevalence rates are Wajir with 0.1 per cent, Tana River at 0.8 per cent and Lamu at 2.2 per cent.
According to the latest statistics, Garissa has 1786 people living with HIV, Tana River has 1138 and Lamu has 1568.
Regional HIV coordinator Wario Boru said the main reason was the lack of HIV awareness among the residents.
This has contributed to the rise of the self and institutional stigma towards them.
Boru said the biggest headache the council is facing is the new infections mainly by adolescents and the youths between the ages of 15 and 25, standing at 40 per cent of the total infections in the region.
He however said there are strategies National Aids and Control Council is putting in place including engaging political and religious leaders, teachers, people living with HIV and the media to create awareness among the population.
Currently, 843 people living with HIV are under ARV drugs being administered at a comprehensive care facility at the Garissa Referral Hospital with 78 having defaulted.
Leila Mohammed, a clinician in charge of the facility, says she has recorded 60 children living with the virus as well.
Zahara Hashim, the programme coordinator at Sisters Maternity Home, says many people living with HIV have also opted to skip the Covid-19 jab due to stigma.
Out of 105 clients, she attends to at her facility, less than five have taken the jab.
Edited Kiilu Damaris
