Big win for Kenya as mother-to-child HIV infections fall 59pc

Mother-to-child HIV infections in Kenya have dropped sharply, new report showed, signaling success of an ongoing campaign to limit the spread of the virus.

In 2016 the number of HIV infections among children in Kenya stood at 6,091 compared to 14,905 in 2010—representing a 59 per cent drop, new data by the United Nations joint Aidsprogramme (UNAids) showed.

The report covering eastern and southern Africa shows that despite the sharp drop, Kenya was outperformed by its peers in the region with Uganda recording the best results after realising an 83 per cent drop over the period.

Nine countries in the region had more than 50 per cent reduction and they include Malawi, Namibia, Mozambique, Swaziland, Rwanda, South Africa and Ethiopia after new infection rate among children went down by 74, 73, 63,63,63,61, 54 and 53 per cent, respectively.

UNAids placed the regional reduction average at 56 per cent.

Tanzania performed poorly with only five per cent reduction of new infections on children, from 10,680 to 10,050 cases over the seven years.

Kenya’s progress is attributable to measures laid out in Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT), which has seen the country increase coverage of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) among pregnant women and nursing mothers by over 80 per cent.

The UNAids, however, shows that Kenya, lags in coverage when compared to countries like Uganda, Botswana, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa. The six have over 90 per cent of pregnant women receiving ARTs to prevent mother-to-child transmission.

The 2015 Kenya Aids Progress report show that 97,400 child HIV infections have been averted due to PMTCT scale up in 2013 through 2015.

This has been achieved through early HIV diagnosis, increased skilled birth deliveries, which has grown 62 per cent in 2015 from 44 per cent in 2013, and growth in the coverage for early infant diagnosis for HIV.

According to the report, 24 counties reduced HIV infections among children with Kisii, Nyamira and Migori being top three. On the downside Kitui, Kwale, Kilifi, Marsabit, Garissa, Mandera, Lamu, Tana River and Wajir saw their HIV infection among children increase over hundred fold.

About 60 per cent of new HIV infections among children in 2015 were from mothers diagnosed late in pregnancy or while attending post-natal services.

The UNAids report, while noting the progress made to eliminate new infections, highlighted that the proportion of children receiving early infant diagnosis was still low at 53 per cent.