Man commits suicide after testing HIV positive
A 32-year old man has committed suicide in Ndhiwa, Homa Bay County, after he discovered that he was HIV positive.
The resident of Olasi Sub-Location in North Kanyikela hanged himself using a rope on a mango tree, 30 meters from his house.
Esau is said to have tested HIV positive two weeks ago.
His wife Sheryl told Daily Nation on phone that her husband appeared stressed immediately he discovered that he was infected with the virus.
She said her husband had been sick for a while but had not been tested for HIV.
‘BECAME WEAK’
“He became weak and went to the health centre for checkup for other illnesses. He failed to disclose to us what he was suffering from after a series of tests,” she said.
She said she took her husband back to the health facility two weeks ago where she was told that the man was infected with HIV.
She said a counsellor was assigned to talk to her husband on how they could stay healthy.
“He refused to take medication when he was told that he was HIV positive. It took the interventions of family members and counsellors to convince him about the importance of taking HIV drugs,” she said.
STIGMATISATION
The man was later found dangling from the tree. The woman said her husband could have been driven to kill himself by fear of stigmatisation.
Homa Bay County Police Commander Marius Tum expressed concern over increased cases of suicide in the county.
He appealed to opinion leaders to assist in solving the problem.
“Political and religious leaders should come out and talk to residents because the rate of suicide has increased to an alarming rate,” said Mr Tum.
Police said body of the deceased was taken to Homa Bay Hospital Mortuary for postmortem.