Kenya on course to end Aids threat – analysis

Kenya is on course to end HIV/Aids as a public health threat by 2027 as directed by President William Ruto.

However, this will only happen if the country continues to cut new infections as has been happening.

Analysis of latest data from the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council last year showed 13 counties have cut new HIV infections by nearly half in one year.

Mombasa, which reduced new infections by 52 per cent between 2021 and 2022, led the pack.

Nationally, new infections reduced by 78 per cent from 101,448 in 2013 to 22,154 in 2022.

“Kenya has also seen a substantial decline in new HIV cases, further complemented by the expansion of access to ART medicine. Approximately 1.2 million individuals have been accessing treatment since 2013,” NSDCC boss Dr Ruth Laibon-Masha said late last year.

She said as part of the government's vision to eradicate Aids by 2030, Kenya is committed to provide comprehensive treatment.

The country will also allow individuals living with HIV to lead full, quality lives akin to managing chronic illnesses.

"As a country, some of the milestones we have had is because we have remained at the centre of scientific advancement. No HIV research has been done without experts from Kenya's  contribution, both at the national and international levels," she said.

Reducing new infections is critical to ending HIV as an epidemic.

It also saves money because maintaining one HIV-positive person on ARVs for one year currently costs Sh24,000 according to NSDCC.

The drugs must be taken for life because HIV has no cure. In the absence of treatment, people with Aids typically survive for about three years.

According to the 2023 HIV prevalence report, 13 counties cut new infections by nearly half in one year.

This was achieved through the help of a mix of interventions that included viral suppression in HIV-positive people taking ARVs.

“Counties of Mombasa, Taita Taveta, Lamu and Kilifi recorded a decline of more than 50 per cent in new HIV infections between 2021 and 2022,” NSDCC programme officer Douglas Bosire said.

Nine other counties—Tana River, Kwale, Nairobi, Homa Bay, Migori, Siaya, Kisumu, Kisii and Nyamira—cut new infections by between 49 per cent and 44 per cent, the 2023 NSDCC status report shows.

All counties made improvements in reducing new infections, but Mandera made the lowest progress cutting infections by only eight per cent.

Bosire, who spoke at a media workshop on the triple threat of HIV, teenage pregnancies and sexual and gender violence, said new HIV infections have been falling in the last 10 years.

“This is attributable to targeted HIV prevention interventions by the government through the Ministry of Health,” he said.

The Sustainable Development Goals aim to end HIV/Aids as a public health threat by 2030.

This is generally considered by the UN as a 90 per cent reduction in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths by 2030.

President Ruto last year pushed Kenya’s goal to 2027.

The country’s efforts toward this goal are guided by the Kenya Aids Strategic Framework II, which aims to cut all new infections by 75 per cent by 2025 and reduce by half all Aids-related deaths, compared to 2019 levels.

Kenya will need to cover half of all HIV-related expenses, yet it currently manages only 34 per cent with the rest coming from donors.

Bosire said the HIV situation in Kenya 2023 report shows infection rates among young people aged 15-24 remain concerning.

The report shows About 3,244 new HIV infections occurred among adolescents aged 10-19 in 2022, with young people aged 15-24 accounting for 41 per cent of all new HIV infections in 2022.

That was partly driven by poor awareness with only half (47.3 per cent) of young women aged 15-19 having knowledge about HIV prevention compared to 48.7 per cent among young men, according to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey.

“Knowledge of HIV prevention increases with education level and is lowest among those with no education,” he said.