By Tajeu Shadrack Nkapapa
The Ministry of Health is intensifying initiatives in HIV prevention, therapeutics, and surveillance to support the universal health coverage agenda and achieve the UNAIDS target of ending AIDS by 2030.
Today, the Ministry through the National AIDS Control Program (NASCOP), held a media café sensitization event for health and science journalists in Naivasha.
The objective of this initiative to enhance the media’s understanding of emerging HIV developments and equip journalists to advocate for best practices.
Dr. Rose Wafula, the Program Head, stated that by enhancing media engagement, the program aims to boost advocacy and awareness, focusing on critical topics such as HIV testing, prevention, treatment, safety and protection of the public, vaccine development, and the search for a cure.
Aligning with the global standards, Kenya has implemented the WHO-recommended three-test algorithm for HIV diagnosis, improving diagnostic accuracy.
Through rigorous capacity-building initiatives and robust quality assurance measures, the Ministry has assured the reliability and safety of testing services.
Despite ranking 7th globally for its HIV epidemic, Kenya remains steadfast in its fight against HIV/AIDS.
With approximately 1.4 million individuals living with HIV (PLHIV), the country persists in delivering comprehensive care and preventive measures.
As of December 2023, over 1.3 million PLHIV were under treatment across 3,752 facilities nationwide.
Kenya conducts more than 8 million HIV tests annually across 8,851 testing sites, demonstrating the nation’s commitment to standardize and accessible testing services.
In attendance of the media café sensitization event were representatives from the Ministry of Health, NASCOP, the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, partners, researchers, media, content creators, and youth advocates, among others.