Health Ministry launches registration for Nairobi Half Marathon ahead of World AIDS day

 

Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga said the registration sets the stage for one of the year’s most impactful health advocacy events. [Courtesy, X]

The Ministry of Health is now banking on sports advocacy to create awareness for HIV/AIDS.

This comes as the registration for the 2025 World AIDS Day Nairobi Half Marathon was officially launched on Saturday.

The highly anticipated race scheduled for November 30, ahead of the December 1 commemoration aims to rally thousands under the unifying theme of ‘One Race; One Goal’.

World AIDS Day, marked every December 1, serves as a global reminder of the ongoing fight against HIV and a celebration of milestones achieved through partnership, science, and community resilience.

Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga said the registration sets the stage for one of the year’s most impactful health advocacy events.

This year’s marathon, he said, symbolises renewed solidarity and a collective stride toward defeating the epidemic once and for all.

The PS said the marathon will not only be a sporting event but a momentous platform in the national and global efforts to end AIDS-related deaths by 2030.

According to him, the sports advocacy seeks to accelerate key interventions like reducing new HIV infections, especially among young people aged 15 to 24 years while strengthening treatment adherence and viral suppression.

The marathon is a powerful national mobilisation platform at a critical moment in the fight against HIV, as Kenya and the global health community intensify efforts to end AIDS-related deaths while addressing socially aggravating issues such as teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence, both of which remain intertwined with HIV vulnerabilities,” PS Oluga said.

The PS further assured people living with HIV/AIDS of continued access to essential health services, treatment, and life-saving medicines, reaffirming the government’s commitment to universal health coverage and sustained support systems.

He said the marathon is expected to attract athletes, civil society groups, healthcare workers, youth organisations and advocates united in the mission to fast-track progress toward an AIDS-free generation.