Murang’a county marked World AIDS Day 2024 in a ceremony that brought together health officials, county administration, members of the community and other stakeholders in a bid to consolidate efforts to end HIV by the year 2030.
Speaking during the celebrations at Makuyu Primary School in Murang’a South sub-county, Murang’a County Director of Health, Dr. James Mburu underscored the need for concerted efforts towards ending HIV by 2030.
The Director stated that it is important for all stakeholders to work towards the UNAIDS 95/95/95 campaign.
“This targets 95 percent of estimated persons to know their status through testing, 95 percent of those identified to be put on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and 95 percent of those on ART achieve viral suppression,” he said.
Mburu said that this year the focus was on involving boys and men in the fight against new HIV infections, noting the prevalent poor health seeking behaviour among that group.
He called upon boys and men to seek professional help when sick and to take part in the fight against new HIV by getting tested regularly.
“Cases of drug abuse and mental illnesses are high among men; therefore, I call upon all those infected or affected by HIV and other illnesses to seek interventions,” he said.
The Director noted that donor funding towards HIV is reducing and called upon the national and county governments to be prepared to undertake HIV activities on their own.
Mburu made a rallying call to all stakeholders to continue creating awareness and urged them to continue with the concerted efforts without leaving anyone behind.
According to the National Syndemic Disease Control Council (NSDCC), Kenya HIV Estimates, 2024, Murang’a County ranks 25th nationally in the HIV epidemic with an estimated 16133 people living with HIV of which 786 are children aged 0-14 years.
The HIV prevalence in Murang’a county is 1.4 percent against a national average of 4.3 percent.
Murang’a County AIDS and STIs Control Officer (CASCO) David Kinyanjui, on his part, noted that a majority of new HIV infections are among youths and young people and urged the group to take HIV prevention seriously. “35 percent of adult new infections in the county were among young people aged 15-24 years” he said.
“There are preventive options such as abstaining from sex, proper use of condoms and use of HIV prevention drugs like post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).” He added.
Kinyanjui further called upon stakeholders to continue working together towards ending the triple threat; gender-based violence (GBV), new HIV infections and teenage pregnancies.
World AIDS Day 2024 was marked under the theme; It’s a Race Against Time: Promoting the Health and Wellbeing of Men and Boys and in Murang’a the participants took part in a 10-kilometre road race or a two-kilometre family fun race.
By Purity Mugo
