Kenya on track in the fight against HIV/Aids
Employees of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County, their colleagues from Uasin Gishu County Government and various institutions in the county in a procession in the town to mark the World Aids Day on December 01, 2023.
What you need to know:
- The key strides in the battle against HIV Aids include significant progress in reducing new infections.
- Aids-related deaths have significantly reduced by 68 per cent over the past decade, dropping from 58,446 in 2012 to 18,473 in 2022.
Kenya is on course to achieving a 95 percent reduction in overall HIV infections among all age groups by 2030, according to latest government statistics.
And use of injectable drugs has been linked to new HIV infections in the country.
As the World Aids Day, whose theme was “Let Communities Lead” was commemorated, new data released yesterday showed that the country has made significant progress in the fight against the disease.
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha presided over the national event at Meru’s Kinoru Stadium, together with Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza and other leaders.
Ms Nakhumicha announced that 89 percent of people living with HIV/Aids were already on antiretroviral therapy, reaching a crucial milestone.
According to the report by National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC), in the last decade, Kenya has achieved remarkable progress in reducing new HIV infections, with a commendable 78 percent decline between 2013 and 2022.
“The commitment to ensuring access to life-saving antiretroviral medicines has resulted in 94 percent coverage for the 1.4 million people living with HIV by the end of 2022,” reads the report launched in Meru on Friday.
The key strides in the battle against HIV Aids include significant progress in reducing new infections, expanding antiretroviral therapy coverage, and achieving enhanced suppression against Aids-related deaths.
The accelerated momentum is geared towards a 2027 deadline set by President William Ruto, to eliminate HIV transmissions in the country, which is barely four years away.
Aids-related deaths have significantly reduced by 68 per cent over the past decade, dropping from 58,446 in 2012 to 18,473 in 2022.
“Kenya’s focus on preventing HIV transmission from mothers to children has shown progress, with transmission rates declining from 14 percent in 2013 to 8.6 percent in 2023.
The CS, however, said more work must be done to meet the global target of less than 5 percent by 2025.
“The Ministry of Health has launched the “Plan to End Aids in Children by 2027” to ensure the country attains global targets and promotes universal access to antenatal services and skilled birth delivery for all mothers,” said CS Nakhumicha.
The report by NSDCC also highlights several challenges that persist in the fight against the virus, particularly among adolescents aged 15-24, who accounted for 41 percent of all new HIV infections among those over 15 years in 2022.
“Adolescents, especially girls, face a triple threat to their health - HIV infection, adolescent pregnancy, and sexual and gender-based violence,” it reads.
