The Murang’a County Assembly has adopted a report that proposed the establishment of a special fund to manage HIV and tuberculosis on Tuesday.
Tabling the report, Chairperson of the Assembly’s Committee on Health Service Boniface Ng’ang’a urged the County Executive Committee Member for Health to prioritise publicising the Murang’a County HIV/AIDS Bill 2024.
According to Ng'ang'a, the report would provide a framework for the provision of a special fund for HIV and TB management in the county.
Ng’ang’a said key donors who fund HIV/AIDS programmes in the county would withdraw their donations in 2027, and the enactment of the bill would enable Murang’a to be self-reliant after the donors’ exit.
“World Bank, CDC, and other NGOs that fund the HIV/AIDS programmes in the county will be withdrawing their donations in 2027," he said.
"Approval of this Bill will lead to the development of HIV/AIDS Regulations to create a special fund for HIV and TB management in the County.”
Ng’ang’a, who is also Muthithi MCA said while the overall prevalence of HIV in the county was relatively low, there were still pockets of concern.
“Mathioya Subcounty has a higher per cent of HIV prevalence rate of 3.5 compared to Kandara with 1.3 per cent,” Ng'ang'a said.
He was seconded by Murarandia MCA Peter Munga.
Gatanga MCA John Kibaiya said even though the HIV prevalence in the county was low, having separate desks for people living with HIV/AIDS in Level 4 Hospitals in the county promoted stigmatisation.
Kibaiya called for the integration of persons living with HIV/AIDS into the normal healthcare system in Murang’a Level 4 Hospitals.
“Most Level 4 Hospitals in Murang’a have an extra desk for people living with this disease. To eradicate the stigma associated with the disease, HIV/AIDS treatment should be integrated into the regular healthcare provision mechanisms,” he said.
Kibaiya said there has been women migration into tea zone areas where farmers were currently receiving tea bonus payments.
The MCA said this was among the drivers of the spread of HIV/AIDs in the county.
To stop the spread in these areas, Kahumbu MCA Chefman Njoroge said that the County Executive Committee needed to come up with educational programmes to teach farmers the importance of using protection during sex.
“It is important that tea and coffee farmers in areas receiving bonuses be sensitised on the importance of having protected sex. It has been a trend for past years, when bonuses are being paid, some women flock to tea growing zones to deceive our men," Njoroge said.
He said creating awareness would reduce HIV prevalence and the stigma associated with the disease, while also educating locals on the benefits of having protected sex.
