By Antony Gitonga                              

Nakuru, Kenya: Nakuru town has been identified as the hardest hit by HIV/Aids in Nakuru County according to the latest statistics from the County Aids and STI group.

This came in the wake of reports of an acute shortage of condoms in the country in the last two months though a consignment had arrived in the port of Mombasa.

Current figures indicate that the county’s average HIV prevalence rate stands at 3.7 percent a drop from 6.3 percent in 2009.

According to the County Aids and STI coordinator Dr Joseph Lenai, Nakuru town had a prevalence rate of 5.7 percent, Molo at 4.8 and Naivasha at 3.8.

Other areas are Rongai 3.7 percent, Nakuru North and Subukia stands at 3.2 while Kuresoi recorded the lowest rate at 2.8 percent.

Lenai was however quick to note that the county had made impressive strides in dealing with the disease that has killed many.

The doctor attributed the high prevalence rate in Nakuru central to the high population and an active urban center.

“We have identified Mai Mahiu, Kikopey and Salgaa as the hotspots in terms of HIV/Aids due to the high number of truckers mainly at night,” he said.

Transmission levels

Speaking in his office, Lenai said that prevention from mother to child transmission had dropped to below six percent.

“The transmission levels in the county stood at over eight percent in 2012 and we are targeting five percent by 2015 which is the global target,” he said.

Lenai admitted that there was an acute shortage of condoms in the country but was quick to note that other donors had chipped in.

“We have been informed that the condoms are on the way and we have enough testing kits and drugs in the county,” he said.

He however admitted that the fight against HIV/Aids in the county faced challenges despite concerted efforts by various stakeholders.

The doctor pointed to lack of coordination among the many stakeholders who were all fighting the disease.

“We have however formed a technical working group for HIV/Aids in the country so as to coordinate our work,” he said.

Lenai noted that the issue of stigmatisation was still rife in the society adding that they were encouraging mothers who had gone through prevention programmes to be ‘mentor mothers’.