Nakwamoru- May 20, 2025 (Public Communications and Media Relations)
At least 82 HIV/AIDS Exposed Infants (HEI) in Nakwamoru, Kataboi and Lowareng’ak Health centers today graduated as HIV-negative, following an intensive two-year Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) program.
This program aims to eliminate HIV/AIDS among children by the year 2030.
The event, held in Nakwamoru Health Center and supported by the USAID Imarisha Jamii and Diocese of Lodwar, celebrated 82 children out of 99 who have now been declared HIV-negative. They include 17 from Nakwamoru, 27 from Kataboi, and 38 from Lowareng’ak.
Speaking at the event, Chief Officer for Preventive and Promotive Health Janerose Tioko outlined the importance of mothers in enrolling in the PMTCT program, emphasizing that it reduces and eliminates the rate of HIV/AIDS transmission among children.
“We want to encourage mothers to enroll their children to these programs since a positive mother can bare a HIV-negative child through HIV services from the program,” she said.
She also advised mothers to shun away from alcoholism, as it attributes to the challenge of adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy Treatment (ART), resulting in default treatment.
According to Jacinta Mwende, HIV/AIDS Coordinator at Diocese of Lodwar, since the conception of the program in 2020, a total number of 649 HIV Exposed children have now been confirmed HIV-negative through the program over the last few years. She also added that she has seen a significant reduction in stigma due to awareness creation in the community.
“These sustained achievements indicate the county’s progress to reduce spread of HIV among mothers and children,” she stated.
CCO Tioko also encouraged the partners to embrace the spirit of collaboration with the County Government and other sectors such as National Syndemic Disease Control Council among others. This is to boost support for HIV programs towards eliminating mother-to-child transmission by 2030.
The County AIDS and STI Coordinator Samuel Pulkol highlighted sensitization and community awareness through Community Health Promoters (CHPs) as one of the strategies that enhance the success of the program.
“The county has ensured that community units encourage mothers to go to health facilities to be tested and also deliver as they continue with post-natal care,” he said.
The county’s HIV transmission rate is at 16.9% which is double the national rate at 7.3%. This signifies the need to intensify efforts toward reducing prevalence and eliminating HIV/AIDS among children.
The event included County and Sub County Health Management teams, as well as representatives from Imarisha Jamii, AMREF Health Africa, Diocese of Lodwar, facility health workers, and the Nakwamoru community.
