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Kenya: The Government will Wednesday launch a Sh1.7 trillion HIV strategy to avert about 800,000 deaths, 1.2 million transmissions and eliminate new infections within 16 years.
The $19.9 billion strategy intends to cut the 101,560 new infections recorded last year to about 50,000 by the end of next year. It further expects to cut new infections to 25,000 within the next five years and eventually eliminate new infections completely by 2030.
The HIV Prevention Revolution Road Map will be launched by Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia in Nairobi. The strategy largely prepared by the National Aids Control Council, will mainly target nine of the most affected counties and four of the highest HIV transmitting groups.
The four target groups are commercial sex workers, homosexuals, drug injectors and prisoners.
"Although these populations represent less than two per cent of the general population, they contribute a third of all new HIV infections in the country," the strategy paper reads in part.
This means these groups contributed about 30,000 new infections in the country last year.
The nine targeted counties are Homa Bay, Kisumu, Siaya, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Turkana, Bomet and Nakuru which contribute about 65 per cent of new infections. The target groups will be get information on prevention, behaviour change and early introduction to anti-retroviral drugs for those already infected.
Commercial sex workers and homosexuals in these counties will be exposed to Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This is a HIV prevention method where people at risk take a single pill every day.
Medical experts say when taken consistently, it reduces the possibility of infection by up to 92 per cent. People who use PrEP must commit to taking the drug every day and seeing their healthcare provider for follow-up every three months.
The strategy also wants laws that hinder social rights and dignity for prostitution, drug use and homosexuality reviewed in the next few years.
"Legislators should align national and county laws to promote access to HIV services and rights protection of priority populations such as young girls, prisoners, gays, sex workers and people who inject drugs by 2015," the partly reads.
The road map suggests that laws be enacted to remove barriers such as age limits that make it hard for children and other youth to access condoms, pill and other reproductive health services and education.
The road map recommends financial incentives for young women and girls to keep them longer in school or reduce sexual-risk behaviours.
"This involves recipients who abide by stipulated conditions," says the road map.
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