The HIV prevalence rate in Nyanza still remains the highest countrywide, recording above average rates.
This is according to a new report by Kenya Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (KENPHIA) 2018. The study that was conducted between June 2018 and February 2019, shows that Homa Bay county is leading in HIV prevalence at 19.6 percent followed by Kisumu at 17.5{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33} while Siaya and Migori are at 15.3{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33} and 13.0{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33} respectively.
The study found that the national HIV prevalence was found to be 4.9{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33} which means that Nyanza region is way above the average.
North Eastern region reported lowest prevalence with the region showing less than 0.2{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33} rates in counties such as Garissa. This is despite the fact that 18.8{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33} of participants in Garissa did not offer responses for the survey.
Nairobi is at 3.8{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33}, Mombasa 5.6{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33}, Nyeri 5.1{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33}, Uasin Gishu 5.5{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33}, Kajiado 4.6{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33}, Turkana 6.8{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33} and Kiambu 1.1{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33}.The report done between June 2018 and February 2019 shows that HIV prevalence was twice as high among women at 6.6{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33} ,compared to men at 3.1{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33} .
The report further notes that 1.3 million (4.9{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33}) adults are living with HIV while 139,000 (0.7{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33}) children are living with the virus. The transmission of the virus from mother to child still remains high at 11.5{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33}
4,610 individuals participated in survey across the country: 27,897 were aged between 15-64 years and 6,713 were children aged between 0-14 years.
Kenya has the fifth-largest number of persons living with HIV in the world, and HIV continues to be a leading cause of adult morbidity and mortality.