Kisii HIV/Aids co-coordinator Samuel Ondari has called upon expectant mothers to ensure they deliver at health institutions to curb mother-to-child transmission of the disease.
During an interview in his office in Kisii Saturday morning, Mr Ondari said according to the county’s 2015 HIV /AIDS profile, 68 per cent of HIV-positive women in the county deliver out of health facilities and only 41 per cent of pregnant women attend the recommended four antenatal visits in the county.
He also noted that 43 per cent of children living with HIV in Kisii County in need of anti-retro viral therapy do not access the service thus exposing them to the risk of early death.
The Aids coordinator said the other challenge facing the county in its war against zero new infections is stigma which is experienced even at family level.
Ondari lamented that the gains made during the total war on Aids, TOWA, were being eroded by discrimination and stigma against HIV/Aids patients.
He urged those suffering from this condition to take medication as required noting that there is an upsurge of disease like Tuberculosis and cancer following poor adherence.
He added that some patients simply abandon medication adding they risked contracting multi-drug resistance condition hence leading to very expensive treatment.