Kenya boosts HIV/AIDS fight with renewed support from UNAIDS

Speaking during the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva on May 21, 2025, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to universal health coverage and intensifying the fight against HIV/AIDS.
He announced that Kenya has secured renewed technical and financial backing from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) to accelerate national efforts aimed at reducing new infections, expanding treatment coverage, and strengthening healthcare infrastructure across the country.
UNAIDS’ fresh backing arrives at a critical juncture in Kenya’s HIV/AIDS response. Despite significant progress made over the last two decades, the country continues to face challenges such as a plateau in reducing new infections and persistent gaps in reaching key populations, including youth, sex workers, and people who inject drugs.
“UNAIDS has reaffirmed its commitment to Kenya’s health sector, providing technical and financial assistance to ensure that our HIV/AIDS programs are sustainable and inclusive,” Duale said.
“We will continue to fight tirelessly until every Kenyan has access to the care and support they need.”
The support package from UNAIDS will focus on scaling up HIV testing, improving access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), and integrating HIV services into the broader health system to promote sustainability and efficiency.
Kenya’s HIV/AIDS burden and progress
Kenya is estimated to have about 1.5 million people living with HIV, making it one of the most affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The government’s HIV programs have succeeded in increasing ART coverage to nearly 90% of those diagnosed and reducing AIDS-related deaths. However, new HIV infections remain stubbornly high among adolescents and young adults, undermining progress toward epidemic control.
UNAIDS Country Director for Kenya, Dr. Grace Nyambura, emphasised that achieving the global 95-95-95 targets is critical. These targets aim for 95% of people living with HIV to know their status, 95% of those diagnosed to receive sustained ART, and 95% of those on treatment to achieve viral suppression, which prevents further transmission.
Strategic focus
The renewed partnership will see investments in health infrastructure, including upgrading clinics and deploying digital health records to enhance patient tracking and service delivery. Additionally, capacity building for healthcare workers is a priority to improve the quality of care and manage the supply chain to avoid drug stockouts.
Community engagement remains a cornerstone of Kenya’s HIV response. Innovative outreach programs will be strengthened to reach marginalized and high-risk groups, combat stigma, and encourage testing and adherence to treatment.
The Road Ahead
Kenya’s enhanced collaboration with UNAIDS offers renewed hope for controlling the HIV epidemic. The government’s integrated approach combines strengthening the health system, empowering communities, and leveraging data to guide interventions.
“Together with UNAIDS, we are committed to ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat in Kenya, this is not just a health priority rather a social and economic imperative that requires unwavering commitment from all stakeholders” he added.
With this robust partnership, Kenya is poised to accelerate progress toward an AIDS-free generation, improve lives, and build a healthier future for all its citizens.