• The report revealed that more than 182.3 million condoms were distributed in the country in 2017.
• In Kenya, there are 1,493,400 people living with HIV.
Image: FILE
Kenyan men are yet to reach the global usage of condoms which stands at 40 condoms per man per year.
In the country, records show only 14 condoms are used by one man per year which is against the global target of 40 condoms per man per year.
A report on the current HIV situation in Kenya revealed that only 44 per cent of males reported using condoms during their last sexual encounter they considered high-risk.
Only 40 per cent of females reported using a condom at their last sexual encounter they considered high-risk.
The report revealed that more than 182.3 million condoms were distributed in the country in 2017 to assist in reducing HIV-Aids infections but the usage is still low.
The report aimed at leveraging the HIV response to accelerate impact for UHC also revealed that there is a decline in the number of pregnant women living with HIV receiving prevention from mother to child transmission (MTCT).
Out of the two million estimated number of pregnancies, 57,200 women tested HIV positive with 53,236 (77 per cent) pregnant women receiving antiretroviral medicines (PMTC).
The report further showed an increase in mother to child transmission of HIV, showing 11.5 per cent of children were infected with HIV from MTCT.
In the country, there are 1,493,400 people living with HIV.
The prevalence is higher among women at 6.2 per cent compared to men who stand at 3.5 per cent.
For adults aged 15 years and above there are 1,388, 200 people living with HIV and Aids.
There are also 105, 200 children aged between 0- 14 living with HIV and Aids and the same number for adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years.
Young adults aged between 15 to 49 years who are living with HIV Aids stand at 184, 700.
The report further revealed there was a decline in the annual new HIV infections last year which are 52,800 across all ages.
Out of the 52,800, 44,800 are adults aged 15 years and above while 8,000 are children aged from 0 to 14 years.
There were also 8,200 new infections of adolescents aged 10 to 19 years and 17,700 young adults 15 to 24 years.
Last week the Kenya National AIDS Control Council (NACC) organized a two-day conference for nine counties in the Coast and North Eastern to discuss the current state of HIV and AIDs in the counties and the way forward.
The aim was to champion the counties to allocate funds for the HIV Aids campaign which has largely been donor funded.
NACC board member Jacinta Mutegi said the meeting was aimed at deliberating what they have been able to do in the last five years, what can be sustained and new interventions that can come based on new findings.
Kenyan men are yet to reach the global usage of condoms which stands at 40 condoms per man per year. See story https://bit.ly/2Jda7jt
Image: ALPHONCE GARI
“Mostly we were looking at what the trends were like in the specific counties, mortality and its causes, efforts of Prevention from Mother to child transmission,’ she said.
Those present in the meeting were members of county assemblies, county executive members, Chairpersons of the Budget.
Kilifi County leads in high cases of teenage pregnancy with more than 17,000 young girls affected.
Leaders fear that those who were affected could also have been infected with HIV AIDS.
Kilifi County Governor Amason Kingi said teenage pregnancies, syphilis and HIV go hand in hand.
“In every one pregnancy you never know what else is there, whoever had sex with a minor never used condom and there are two things which can happen both pregnancy and HIV,” he said.
Currently, he said there are girls who are under ARV medication after they were defiled and infected with HIV.
The governor unveiled a task force to look into the root cause of teenage pregnancy and a strategic plan to end the menace.
The task force is set to submit a report in June this year.