On behalf of the Kenya PLHIV Community, we stand together in solidarity with communities across the world to commemorate the 2025 World AIDS Day. The global World AIDS Day theme of “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response” is very appropriate for Kenya because it highlights the impact of recent disruptions of HIV response. We also embrace the theme of “One Race, One Goal: Ending AIDS in Adolescents and Young People,” because the disruption has been more on young people. It has really been a difficult year for the PLHIV Community.
Nonetheless, we have observed some positive developments on HIV treatment optimization by NASCOP expanding eligibility to TAF LD and the roll-out of safer, well tolerated and better treatment for children. We also appreciate the roll-out of community pharmacy model (CPM) and scale up of multi-month dispensing (MMD) of ARVs.
To ensure continuity to HIV care, the government embarked on the integration of HIV services into general health service delivery. However, the roll-out of integration has come with challenges; especially in the numbers and capacity of health care workers: some are not well informed about HIV treatment; while others breach confidentiality.
We have seen the introduction of user fees in health facilities especially for laboratory services and for the management of other non-communicable diseases. User fees is a huge barrier to the uptake and utilization of HIV care. Given that many PLHIV have other NCDs, especially Hypertension, Diabetes and Kidney ailments, we urge the Ministry of Health to re-look at the integration scope and include the management of NCDs in HIV program.
We share on our collective regret that PLHIV in Kenya are not part of the universal health care drive. The reason for this is that HIV an is vertically financed. This blatant discrimination on a population because of their HIV status is assault on the Kenya 2010 Constitution. Our call this World AIDS Day is that HIV care be included under the Social Health Authority (SHA) Benefits cover so that PLHIV are also part of the Kenya UHC drive.
We call upon the Ministry of Health and partners to strengthen the partnership with communities and especially PLHIV. Kenya has a pool of experienced and trained PLHIV who can work as Peer Mentors, Mentor Mothers and Adherence Counselors to support their peers through treatment. Strong community engagement and scale up of differentiated service delivery models of HIV care are key pillars of the integrated HIV service delivery.
Importantly, we call upon the Kenya government to reset the HIV response and root it in national ownership, investment and leadership. The country need to safeguard its ‘Health Sovereignty’. Never again should the government expose vulnerable citizens, including those who have HIV to external forces as we witnessed with the US Government Stop Work Order. This can only be done through increased domestic financing and negotiations with HIV funding partners to work through the national structures.
@NEPHAK
info@nephak.or.ke
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