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The National Aids Control Council (NACC) has come up with data collection technology to help fight HIV/AIDs in partnership with Nakuru County Government.
Dubbed, the Kenya HIV Situation Room, the application will provide downright, up-to-date and centralized data on HIV/Aids prevalence.
NACC Deputy Director Ms Regina Ombam, said the council is carrying out population-based surveys that will guide the prevention of HIV transmission and provision of care and support to the infected and affected.
“Technology is a centralized system that shall collect, analyze and store date on drugs, patients and nurses including health volunteers in respective localities. A technology that will enhance quality treatment,” said Ombam.
Ms Ombam said currently most hospitals in the country use the manual method of collecting data in files, method that is not efficient in fighting the disease.
She said the main interface of the HIV/Aids map under the technology will help identify a range of patterns and trends, those infected, patients on treatment and those receiving drugs.
Patients who require guiding and counselling to handle stigma faced form the society will also be captured under the technology, drugs in stock and medical officers handling the cases for swift action.
“The platform can also show the number of antenatal care visits and the availability of antiretroviral drugs in a specific health facility,” she added.
According to NACC, HIV/AIDs 2015 estimates, national prevalence is 4.1 per cent with Nakuru ranked Ninth County nationally with 2.7 per cent.
Governor Lee Kinyanjui said the platform will speed up and streamline communications between policy-makers and implementers.
Kinyanjui said the system will also help track needy patients including orphans who will be provided with assistance.
“We will now know in time the needs of our people and the decision to take for better services,” said Kinyanjui.
Chief Officer of Health, Dr Samuel Mwaura said the innovative tool will help the department to fill gaps even in managing other related fields.
Some 14 officers from the County AIDS and STI Coordinator unit have been trained on the technology-centered approach to accelerate the progress towards ending its AIDS epidemic.
Mwangi added that health department shall also recruit training and retraining HIV service providers, integrate supervision and mentorship to maximize enrollment and retention of people living with HIV/AIDs eligible for ARV under the treatment as prevention strategies.
Out of the estimated target of 41,217 people living with HIV virus in Nakuru County, only 35,294 are taking ARVs.
“In addressing infection of the disease, the county shall scale up and operationalize gender-based recovery centers, strengthen linkages and referrals between HIV testing and enrollment to care and treatment,” he said.
Rongai sub county community health worker Florence Atieno told The Standard that a section of defaulters are youths and individuals aged between 50 and 70 years who resort to use of drugs to curb shame among members of their families.
“Whereas the government has been conducting HIV/AIDs sensitization, we still have a section of people who do not access drugs for fear of being discriminated,” she said.
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