There is need for partnerships to sustain the gains the country has made in the HIV response, US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman has said.
Whitman on Monday said despite the progress made by Kenya in the war against HIV, there is need to ensure that persons with HIV can live full, productive lives and protect future generations from HIV.
According to the ambassador, there are several population groups that still need attention to ensure the gains attained so far are sustained.
“Adolescent girls and young women remain vulnerable and particularly at high risk. Reaching men to seek services early also remains a challenge,” Whitman said.
“And of course, key populations including men who have sex with men, sex workers and people who use drugs, continue to experience challenges that require urgent action and attention.”
Through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, more than 1.3 million people living with HIV have been able to access lifesaving antiretroviral drugs.
“When Pepfar started in 2003, only around 5,000 patients had access to lifesaving therapies and doctors struggled with doing the best they could to manage the onslaught of devastating opportunistic infections,” she said.
This comes even as the US has made major changes to the way it funds HIV response in Kenya.
The changes have been introduced by Dr John Nkengasong, who was appointed to head the US President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief last year.
Nkengasong, who is visiting Kenya, met President William Ruto at State House on Sunday.
The changes, applicable to all Pepfar-supported countries, include scrapping the one-year funding cycle and replacing it with a two-year cycle.
Since Pepfar was founded in 2003, it has become of the world’s biggest donor for HIV response programmes.
It has spent about $90 billion globally, with Kenya getting one of the largest chunks.
