Nairobi — Central Province urgently needs emergency measurers to protect an estimated 10,000 babies born annually to HIV-Aids mothers.

Central Provincial Aids and Sexually transmitted Diseases Co-ordinator, Dr Nguku Mboya, revealed that out of 150,000 annual deliveries, over 10,000 babies risk being infected with the deadly virus at birth.

Dr Mboya, at the same time, disclosed that out of the seven districts in the province, only three of them, Nyeri, Thika and Kiambu, had established programmes to prevent the Mother-to-child infections

The Co-ordinator was speaking during the closing of a two week course to train health workers from Nyeri and Kirinyaga districts on how to prevent the mother to child infections.

The newly posted Central Provincial Medical Officer of Health Dr Ambrose Misore observed that although HIV /Aids in the province is on he increase, the local facilities are not adequately equipped to deal with the challenge.

He told health workers in the province to use cost sharing money to minimise the rate of mother-to-child infection, adding that they should establish secure counselling halls.