The country celebrated the World Aids Day on Friday in Meru County, which leads in teenage pregnancies in Kenya.
The celebrations were led by Health CS Susan Nakumincha, Social and Child Protection CS Florence Bore, Senator Ledama Ole Kina, and Governor Kawira Mwangaza among others.
A survey conducted by the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) showed among the the 15,389 women who received antenatal care in Meru between January and May this year, at least 3,998 were teenage girls.
NSDCC CEO Dr Ruth Masha called for a multi-sectoral effort to save the young girls in Meru.
She said the increased teenage pregnancies translate to increased HIV infections.
Masha called for community-led efforts to break the trend.
"We want to trigger accountability, it is not okay for all the people who should be active stakeholders to keep quiet," she said.
Dr Masha said the situation must be acted upon to ensure those accelerating teen pregnancies are held accountable.
This year's commemoration comes alongside calls to end Aids by 2027.
Meru Council of Elders, the Njuri Ncheke, vowed to join the solution through sensitisation and abandonment of unnecessary cultures like the female genital mutilation.
Njuri Ncheke Secretary General Josphat Murangiri said every member of the council will play an active role in sensitizing against activities that would contribute to increased HIV cases.
"We had an engagement with the NSDCC and agreed to play an active role of fighting HIV. We have declared through our position within the Meru community we'll sensitise and pass the best knowledge to people that will prevent these cases from continuing," said Murangiri.
According to the NSDCC report on HIV in the country, Kenya reported 58,446 deaths in 2013, which dropped to 18,473 deaths in 2022, a remarkable 68 per cent reduction.
This is attributed to improved HIV treatment and care.
