Beyond Zero plan helps fight HIV in Kisii

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When Asenath Musambi took part in the premier First Lady Half Marathon in Nairobi back in 2014, she had no idea what lay in store for her. Upon finishing the Marathon, Musambi, then 27 years old, confidently walked into the Kenya Red Cross tent for an “innocent” HIV testing to establish her status.

And to her shock, she tested positive. However, a test on her husband a few weeks later turned negative. Husna Atieno, 32, talks with enthusiasm of her journey of living positively, her husband is HIV negative.
Atieno says her world fell apart when she discovered her status during the launch of the Beyond Zero mobile clinic at Kisii Stadium back in 2014 when she voluntarily presented herself for testing.
But almost three years down the line, the two women have come to terms with their status and are now sensitising the community on HIV.
The two discordant couples are now members of the Nduru Discordant group based in Kisii county that brings together 26 such families whose main purpose is to share experiences, challenges and support while participating in peer education and mentorship in their community.

For Kennedy Waro, 38, what started as a joke among his matatu colleagues to get tested during Beyound Zero launch in Kisii, saw him test positive for the virus.
Waro is now among a group of volunteer peer educators in Gucha sub-county participating in health talks during the Beyond Zero Mobile clinic outreaches, seminars, church functions and schools.

Group’s role

The group’s role includes; mobilisation of people to present themselves for testing and participating in health talks on the need to stop stigmatisation of people living positively, need for full disclosure, nutrition and how to deal with the shock of HIV test results.
Besides being a HIV/ Aids awareness platform, the Beyond Zero campaign and the Mobile clinic programme has brought on board several other critical initiatives that make health services accessible at the doorsteps of thousands of residents in hard-to-reach areas of the densely populated Kisii county that boasts of 1.3 million people.
Through partnerships with other key stakeholders including the County and National governments, the Red Cross, Afya Plus Kamili, Chagua Maisha, Care Kenya, the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital, the Kenya Episcopal Conference, the International Medical Corps and the Enabling Sustainable Health Equity (ESHE), the mobile clinic has for the last three years made more than 200 outreaches across the nine sub-counties of Kisii.
During that period, 54,125 clients have been tested and counseled for HIV where about 50 of them turned positive and referred to nearest health facilities to start specialised care. In total the county has more than 34014 people living with Aids.
“During the last three years, HIV prevalence rate has steadily dropped from a high 8.9 per cent in 2014 to the current 4.7 per cent. Further drop is expected if the current advocacy, awareness, testing and counseling are sustained,” said County Chief Pharmacist Dr Kimutai Cheruiyot who talked on behalf of the County Director for Health.

Health education

Due to escalated health education services and prenatal testing, Kisii has also made the greatest progress in the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV according to the County Chief Nurse Ruth Mogaka, all courtesy of the Beyond Zero intensive drive that focus on maternal and child health.
But the war if far from over because 73 per cent of HIV positive pregnant women in Kisii do not deliver in health facilities. And Only 41 per cent of the pregnant women in the county attend the recommended four antenatal visits.
Besides advocacy and the strong partnerships, the reduced mother-to-child HIV transmission and the dropping prevalence rates can also be attributed to accelerated testing, counseling and treatment under the new health guidelines that demand clients be treated as soon as they are diagnosed positive without the previous long referrals.
“The new guidelines are focused on the prevention of further opportunistic infections and spread of the virus”, says Dr Ambrose Nabwana the Medical Superintendent and MOH for South Mugirango.