By Rodgers Omondi, Busia
The county government of Busia is engaging in strategies that are aimed at reducing the HIV prevalence in the county which has remained at 5.31since last year.
According to the Busia County Aids and STI coordinator, Constance Were, HIV prevalence has not changed which is a worrying factor. She said the mechanisms developed by the county government are going to help in combating the virus in the county.
“We have effective antiretroviral therapy both for treatment and prevention. We have pre-exposure prophylaxis which is helping to protect those people at risk of contact diseases. We have daily oral PREP, event driven PREP and from January we will start using a long acting injectable for PREP.” She said.
She further indicated that they are engaging with the adolescent group to reduce new HIV infection among the group.
“We have a structure with the youth so that we continue passing a message of prevention with them. We are engaging the truck drivers through outreaches where we offer HIV testing services, screening for STIs, TB and HIV and even offering PREPS targeting the cross-border community.” she said.
The coordinator noted that the fisher fork community has also been considered as they have also been affected by the virus. “We have peer educators who takes them through HIV prevention messages and also offer commodities to them for prevention at the wet borders”
She admitted mother to child transmission is a challenge to them as some of the clients refuse what is better for them.
“We currently handling a case where a mother has completely refused to take medication. She was tested in December and was negative, when the test was done in May, she was positive. She has ever remained in denial and has completely refused to take medicine and the child is also positive” she said
She also indicated the development of advanced HIV disease as another challenge they are faced with. “This happens mostly to those who interrupt their treatment, weakens the immunity and one starts to get opportunistic infections including TB among others.
Were called for collective responsibility and support to those who are infected stating that this will be a step towards combating the virus.
“The fact that we are at the border presents a very unique status and to ensure we control the infection, we are supporting the border community including sex workers, track drivers and business people on how they can prevent themselves from contracting the virus. Lets support one another and ensure that those who are HIV positive take their medication and this will help in eliminating the virus in the county.
Residents led by Lilian Oundo have attributed the surge in infection cases to the idleness among the youth. She said that “many youths are idle and this gives them a chance to engage in many sexual activities resulting in an increase in number. We are calling the government to develop mechanism that will ensure that our youth are more engaged rather than being idle”
Emmanuel Ouma, another resident named hopelessness among the youth as the cause of the increase in the number of HIV infections where he said that the majority have lost hope and they no longer care for their lives.
“We need to sit down with our children and advise our children starting from schools on HIV and prevention so that this generation can have enough knowledge about the virus. We are also encouraging pregnant mothers to visit hospitals and know their status so that they can protect their young ones from being infected if they have the virus” he said.
