Prep Pill FOR HIVKenya could sharply reduce new HIV
infections by 2030 under a new global prevention plan, but experts warn this
will only happen if the country invests more in stopping infections now.
The HIV Prevention 2030 Global
Access Framework, launched in March under Unaids and partners, aims to ensure
that by 2030, 90 per cent of people who need HIV prevention can access
effective methods.
Its goal is part of the wider Global
Aids Strategy 2026–31, which seeks to drastically cut new infections
worldwide.
At least 1.4 million Kenyans are
living with HIV, and the country records 16,000–20,000 new infections annually,
with young women and girls most affected.
HIV prevalence among adults stands
at four per cent but is higher in counties around Lake Victoria.
“The HIV response is at a tipping
point. If prevention is deprioritised and defunded, gains could be reversed,”
Unaids warned.
About 70 per cent of HIV financing
in Kenya comes from donors, many of whom are now scaling back support, making
domestic investment crucial.
The framework outlines practical
steps: scaling up new prevention technologies, strengthening long-term funding,
and prioritising cost-effective interventions.
Long-acting prevention methods, such
as twice-yearly injections of lenacapavir, are emerging as game-changers, but
experts emphasise that scientific innovation alone won’t end the epidemic
without strong implementation.
Success in Kenya will depend on
targeting high-burden areas and ensuring communities can access tools such as
condoms, PrEP and testing services.
“Investments must be robust and
sustained, resources used effectively, and programmes grounded in evidence and
human rights with communities at the centre,” Unaids deputy executive director Angeli Achrekar said.
Globally, the targets include
putting 40 million people on HIV treatment, reaching 20 million with preventive
drugs and distributing 20 billion condoms.
Some countries, including Rwanda,
Lesotho and Malawi, have already achieved a 75 per cent reduction in new
infections since 2010, showing that ambitious goals are attainable.
Kenyan experts, including Dr Nduku
Kilonzo, stress that country leadership is key.
“A fit-for-purpose prevention
mechanism must safeguard financing, align partners and prioritise timely
decisions so resources fully impact the epidemic,” she said.
Without decisive action, experts
warn, progress could stall. But with strategic investment and strong national
leadership, Kenya has a real chance to turn the tide on HIV before 2030.
