Stakeholders in Murang’a County have called for deliberate efforts to equip adolescents and young people with accurate information about HIV/AIDS prevention.
Speaking at Murang’a University during the celebrations, County Director of Health Dr. James Mburu urged stakeholders to intensify education targeting young people and encouraged the youth to know their HIV status and to speak out against Gender-Based Violence.
“We need to talk to our children. The silence in our homes regarding sexuality is fuelling this crisis. Let’s protect our adolescents by equipping them with knowledge,” he said.
Dr. Mburu noted that Murang’a County’s HIV prevalence currently stands at 1.5 per cent, with women bearing a higher burden at 2.07 percent compared to 0.8 percent among men.
Mathioya records the highest prevalence at 2.25 per cent, while Kandara stands at 0.6 per cent. He added that 24 per cent of new infections occur among adolescents and young people aged 15–24, calling for continuous dialogue and targeted interventions for this group.
“When a young girl in Murang’a faces the triple threat – that’s sexual violence, unintended pregnancy and HIV infection – we have failed her,” he said.
The health director highlighted significant progress made in the county, noting that AIDS-related deaths have reduced by over 71 per cent in the last decade, while new infections have dropped by 91 percent since 2013.
Currently, about 18,000 residents living with HIV are on lifesaving antiretroviral treatment (ART).
Dr. Mburu, however, expressed concern over the 9.3 per cent rate of mother-to-child transmission, calling for enhanced prevention efforts. He urged stakeholders to safeguard the gains made so far, despite shrinking foreign funding.
Murang’a County GBV Coordinator Patrick Kariuki echoed the call for concerted action to address the “triple threat” facing young girls, noting that Murang’a county is ranked second in the country in prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence.
He said gender-based violence is largely driven by power imbalances and highlighted both traditional forms of abuse, such as female genital mutilation and emerging ones, like digital violence.
“Murang’a County ranks highly in cases of sexual and gender-based violence,” he said, noting that the most affected victims are young people.
Kariuki urged residents to report all forms of violence to authorities to ensure perpetrators are held accountable and called on residents to support survivors and ensure they receive prompt medical attention.
By Purity Mugo
