John Oyuke
9 January 2003
Nairobi — Nyanza Province has the highest incidence of Aids infection countrywide.
Results of the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey released yesterday indicate that 14 per cent of people living in the province are infected.
Nairobi follows with 9.1 per cent, while North Eastern is the last with less than one per cent.
Coast Province has six per cent, followed by Central (5.9), (Rift Valley 5.2), Western (five) and Eastern (4.1).
The prevalence rate is almost twice as high in urban centres as in rural areas (10 and six per cent).
The findings show that women are more likely to be infected with HIV than men.
The proportion of infection rises with age, from two per cent among 15-19 year-olds to 10 per cent among the 35-39 age group. The rate then falls to five per cent among people aged between 45 and 59 years.
The results, released in Nairobi by Planning minister Anyang' Nyong'o, have information on HIV testing, childhood and maternal mortality, maternal and child health and nutritional status of women and young children. The survey also covered HIV/Aids awareness and behaviour change.
Infant and under-five mortality rates increased from 60 and 89 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1989 to 78 and 114 deaths in 2003, an increase of about 30 per cent.
The survey shows a general erosion of the health care system, with HIV/Aids being one of the most serious public health challenges.
Prof Nyong'o said poor delivery of health care services was a major threat to economic development.
Health Minister Charity Ngilu said the ministry was planning a major restructuring of the sector.
In a statement read by assistant minister Gideon Konchella, the minister said a low budgetary allocation contributed to the sector's woes.
The Kenya Medical Supplies Agency, she added, would be streamlined to improve service delivery.
"We believe that a lot can still be done with the current allocation if the huge gap between policies and resources is bridged."
United States International Development Agency deputy director in Kenya, Mr Dwight Alan Smith, expressed concern that there was nothing to celebrate in the findings.
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