HIV rate above national average in Coastal Region shocks RC

Posted by: Gemmstore on 5:43 PM in 0

The rate of HIV/Aids infection in the Coast Region, standing at 7.2 percent has shocked its Regional Commissioner, Evarist Ndikilo, because the national rate is 5.9 percent.

 

Describing it as a threat to the country, he asked medical officers in the region to help contain the scenario.

 

In a briefing to the RC on Friday, Kibaha Municipal Director Jenifa Omolo said 11, 996 people underwent voluntary testing between January and October last year among whom 5,190 were women and 6,806 men, but 1,064 of them were found to be HIV positive.

 

Omolo said among them, 388 were men and 676 women, of whom 369 were pregnant. This represented an infection rate of 7.4 percent in men and 9.9 percent in women, she said.

 

She explained that 303 infants were born to mothers with the virus, but only eight were found with the virus. She said enough testing kits were required to help in the fight against the disease.

 

In another development, the Kibaha Municipal Council has handed over Sh96m as soft loan to 87 groups of women small scale entrepreneurs from the Women and Youth Fund in the region to help improve their lives.

 

The loan has been provided to the group since 2009/10 financial year when a total of Sh16 million was disbursed to 18 groups with 180 members. In the year 2011/12, a total of Sh26.4 million was disbursed to 27 groups with 279 members.

 

According to Omolo, Sh30.5 million and Sh22.5 million was disbursed to 30 groups with 170 members and 12 groups with 70 members in 2012/2013 and 2013/14 financial years respectively. He said Sh120 million has been set aside for the purpose in the 2015/2016 financial year