Kisii residents have been urged to avoid stigmatizing people infected with HIV in society but instead accord them help.
Addressing residents at Gusii stadium during the World Aids Day on Tuesday, county director of Health Dr Geoffrey Ontomu advised the public to accept people living with the virus as one way of showing love to them.
Ontomu further said stigmatisation has caused other people who are infected to lose hope in life hence their early death.
“Let us accept our people when they have been affected and give them the necessary support so that they can also accept their situation and move on,” he said.
He also advised residents to volunteer themselves and visit public health centres to know their status adding that the exercises is free to all residents.
“Let us volunteer ourselves for the tests so that we can know our status. Once you have known your status, you are able to know what to do and what measures to put in place,” the county director said.
“As a ministry, we always sensitise people on the importance of being tested not only on HIV but all diseases by visiting our health facilities,” he said.