HIV stigma pushing away Khwisero residents from testing, medication

A section of a clinic where HIV testing is done in Khwisero on Wednesday by a local NGO. AGENCIES
A local NGO in Khwisero has raised concern over the small number of people seeking HIV testing in the sub-county.
The Volunteers Restoration of Hope Counsellors Association ( VORHCA ) has attributed this to the stigma associated with the virus.
The organisation's coordinator Joseph Amani on Wednesday said they have resulted to do home testing and counselling for those who fear to go to medical facilities.
"We have been advocating for sexual reproductive health right around Khwisero since 2011 and we have an issue where most people still have fears about testing for the virus," Amani said.
"We have an initiative of going to homes and testing people then later referring them to a medical facility around if they do need further assistance," he said.
The sub-county health office notes that over 2,377 adults and 287 children have been diagnosed with the disease and are under treatment.
Under the Kenya Demographic Health survey 2017, the sub-county has over 3,619 cases of the disease.
The data shows there is a gap of 23 per cent of adult and 46 per cent of children who are not under medication.
"We need to talk to our people that why we have partnered with the Ministry of Health to make sure we refer to them any case we find out here for those that can’t come out go to hospitals," said Amani.
HIV stigma pushing away Khwisero residents from testing, medication HIV stigma pushing away Khwisero residents from testing, medication Reviewed by Unknown on February 09, 2018 Rating: 5

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