Elgeyo Marakwet must address new HIV infections, teenage pregnancies and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in its management of HIV.
The county had a total of 3,075 adolescent pregnancies recorded this year, out of which 47% of them were among girls aged between 10 -14 years.
According to the Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich, adolescents accounted for 14% of all antenatal clinic attendance and 11% of all Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases in the county.
In a speech read on his behalf by the CEC health Monica Rotich, during celebrations to mark World Aids Day in Iten, the governor expressed concern that young people aged between 15-24 years contributed 15% of the 123 new HIV infections recorded in the county.
The Governor said 33 new infections were recorded among children aged between 0-14 years, saying currently there are 6,335 people living with HIV in the county with a prevalence rate of 1.9%.
He, however, said while the prevalence rate is lower than the 3.3 national prevalence, the county prevalence rate may be higher than indicated given that most people are yet to come out for testing, while others who are infected seek treatment outside the county due to stigma.
Rotich, however, said the county has made strides in treatment and care, saying 95% of people living with HIV know their status, while 82% of those already diagnosed are on treatment.
“I am also happy to report that 97% of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression, meaning they can live long and healthy lives while drastically reducing the risk of transmitting the virus,” the governor said.
The Governor said the county cannot stop the spread of HIV without addressing the social drivers that continue to put children and young people at risk and called for strengthening prevention, scaling up comprehensive sexuality education, expanding youth-friendly services and ensuring that every GBV survivor receives immediate care and justice.
“This means keeping girls in school and ensuring boys grow up in communities that reject violence and harmful gender norms; it means mobilising parents, teachers, faith leaders and the entire community to act,” the governor said.
The Governor observed the declining donor support in HIV programmes was a wake-up call for the government to provide more resources to fight HIV in addition to ensuring there are drugs in health facilities.
The county had adopted an integrated system where people living with HIV are treated with other patients, saying this will also help in ending stigma.
The county, in partnership with Ampath, is setting up an integration centre in Kapcherop which will double up as a centre of excellence in integrating HIV services with routine medical services.
During the same function, the county also marked the 16 days of activism against GBV with the theme end digital violence against women and girls.
The County Gender Director Joseph Amuke called on girls and women to report any case of cyberbullying to the security personnel.
By Alice Wanjiru
