Busia has the highest HIV prevalence among the four Western region counties.
According to the latest Kenya Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (Kenphia) report, 9.9 per cent prevalence puts the county fifth countrywide after Homa Bay, Kisumu, Siaya and Migori. The national prevalence is 4.9 per cent.
The Busia figure is 2.1 per cent higher than that recorded five years ago. It had 7.8 per cent.
County Health department blamed the increase on the failure by women to attend pre-natal clinics, general negligence and noncompliance with medication. Viral suppression among children and youth is also identified as a major challenge as most young people do not know their status.
Vihiga registered the second highest prevalence in Western at 5.3 per cent, with Kakamega coming third ( 3.9 ). Bungoma’s 2.5 per cent was the lowest in the region.
The Kenphia report released last week by Ministry of Health Chief Administrative Secretary Rashid Aman also showed that more females than males were contracting the virus, with the prevalence among women doubling that of men at 6.6 and 3.1 per cent respectively.
The rising HIV incidence in Busia is worrying. Players in the health sector will, therefore, have to interrogate it and institute interventions to limit the spread of the scourge.
A 2019 HIV Implementing Partners Online Reporting System Report that was launched in Busia urged health industry stakeholders to invest more resources in preventing transmission, especially by non-governmental organisations.
“There is a need to harmonise service delivery between the county and the implementing NGOs to aggressively scale up and prioritise prevention interventions to reduce transmission,” the report by the National Aids Control Council said.
“Resources should follow the epidemic. However, coordination is required. There need to be deliberate efforts to increase resources for prevention efforts, especially behavioural and structural interventions.”
Dr Rashid, who released the Kenphia report last week, said the latest HIV-Aids statistics mark a significant moment for Kenya in benchmarking the impact of collective investments in HIV response over the years.
He said although the present HIV strategic plans in prevention focus on the top five high-prevalence counties, attention should shift to the counties with the highest burdens. Gender disparity in the burden of HIV is even three times more between the ages of 20-34.
