'I cannot infect my son with HIV as my viral load is undetectable,' Phenny Awiti explains

Piece by: Peninah Njoki
Exclusives

Phenny Awiti, a Kenyan women living with HIV has said there is nothing wrong with breastfeeding her son as she can't infect him with the disease.

She was responding after fans showed their concerns, with many assuming he would infect her son who is only a few months old.

Taking the chance to respond Awiti wrote,

'Yes, we are exclusively breastfeeding. This is the most asked question in my DM.

I appreciate all the concerns and I am aware of the mothers that are hesitant to breastfeed because they are HIV Positive.

I breastfed all my two girls, and I am doing it with Kwe, because I have undetectable viral load. Meaning I cannot infect the child with HIV through breastfeeding because I have less than 20 copies of the virus in my system, which cannot be transferred.

Basically am HIV negative but HIV lives in me, that's my explanation in a lay man's term.'

Further adding,

'It is exclusive for six months. No water, no porridge, no nothing, only breast milk for the six months, then we introduce mixed feeding.

My baby is also on ARVs syrup called Nevirapine, and septrin as well.'

She only discovered she was positive while in high school but had lived with the disease for longer.