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Kenya records 5, 000 new HIV infections among youth annually saying the disease was the silent scourge threatening the future of the country
First Lady Margaret Kenyatta has committed to continue rolling out interventions aimed at ending new HIV infections, and advocacy to end sexual and gender based violence in the country.
In a message delivered by Beyond Zero Coordinator Angella Langat during Friday’s sensitization meeting for Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) and opinion leaders at Ndumberi Polytechnic in Kiambu County, First Lady said Beyond Zero will be advocating for WHO’s validation for Kenya’s efforts to end mother-to-child HIV and Syphilis transmission.
World Health Organization (WHO) validation is granted to countries that have reduced mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis to a level where the diseases are no longer a public health threat.
WHO validation is granted to countries that have reduced mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis to a level where the diseases are no longer a public health threat
Ms Langat said the First Lady, who has been the patron of the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) since 2013 had set up Beyond Zero to offer healthcare to vulnerable women, children through initiatives such as the medical safaris.
She said ending GBV in Kenya was a complex but achievable undertaking through multi-sectoral partnerships that bring together actors such as the courts, prisons, communities, non-governmental organizations and civil society.
On the role played by Community Health Volunteers in deepening access to healthcare, Ms Langat said the health workers were key to the attainment of Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage targets including ending new HIV infections and GBV.
In her address, Health PS Susan Mochache said new HIV infections and GBV were some of the biggest threats to Kenya’s future.
She said Kenya records 5, 000 new HIV infections among youth annually saying the disease was the silent scourge threatening the future of the country.
National AIDS Control Council CEO Ruth Masha, who also spoke at the event, tasked parents to assist the youth in making the right sexual decisions.
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Lusaka — African health ministers and partners are calling for increased investment in integrated health services to address the growing burden of severe noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), particularly those affecting women and underserved populations across the region. At a high-level side event during the Seventy-fifth session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, delegates emphasized the urgent need for equitable access to prevention, screening, treatment, and rehabilitation across the continuum of care for NCDs. Disparities are especially pronounced in rural areas, where health infrastructure and services remain inadequate. Breast and cervical cancers are among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in sub-Saharan Africa—particularly cervical cancer, which is both preventable and treatable. It remains the most common cause of cancer death for women in the region. In 2022, Africa accounted for nearly a quarter (23%) of the 76 000 global cervical cancer deaths. Meanwhile, severe NCDs such as Type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, and heart conditions claim more than half a million lives annually, including among children, adolescents, and young adults in some of the continent’s poorest communities. Inequitable access to health services continues to hinder efforts to reduce this burden. To improve cervical and breast cancer care in the region, urgent investment is needed in leadership, governance, and financing. Strengthening these foundations is critical in the current funding landscape. Advancements in strategic planning, healthcare infrastructure, workforce training, and—most importantly—equitable access to screening, diagnostic, and treatment services are essential. To address these challenges, WHO and its partners showcased successful integrated models such as the Women’s Integrated Care for Cancer Services (WICS), the BEAT Breast Cancer Project, and the PEN-Plus Strategy. WICS strengthens early detection, treatment, and integration of women’s cancer services into primary health care systems in Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. The BEAT Breast Cancer Project is a transformative multi-year initiative aimed at reducing breast cancer mortality among women in Tanzania and Ghana through early detection, timely diagnosis, and comprehensive treatment access. “PEN-Plus, WICS and the BEAT Breast Cancer Initiative are models for a new standard of care, rooted in equity, access and health justice. I urge countries to prioritize policies that embed these models into broader health system strengthening, said Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa”. Côte d’Ivoire offers a compelling example of progress, combining high HPV vaccination coverage—reaching over three million girls (91.4%)—with WICS-supported community-based screening campaigns to strengthen cervical cancer prevention. In Kenya, cervical cancer screening has been successfully integrated into national health services. “This gathering marks a pivotal moment to accelerate action for breast cancer prevention in Africa. We deeply value the leadership of the Ministries of Health of Ghana and Tanzania, and the steadfast support of the Pfizer Foundation in helping us achieve this milestone. The side event builds momentum for the policy prioritization of women’s cancers, partnerships to strengthen the broader women’s cancer ecosystem, and advance a health-systems approach to breast cancer prevention and management”, said Dr Somesh Kumar, Senior Director, Jhpiego. PEN-Plus expands access to care for severe NCDs at the district hospital level. Since its implementation, 20 countries in Africa have increased access to services for severe NCDs. Over 15 000 people are currently receiving treatment for chronic conditions such as sickle cell disease and Type 1 diabetes through PEN-Plus clinics.
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