Stakeholders push for HIV services integration under SHA reforms

Social Health Authority HQ Nairobi. [File Courtesy] Health stakeholders have called for the integration of HIV services into the broader healthcare system to safeguard gains made in the fight against the disease amid shifting global health financing. Speaking during the Health Integration Summit held in Mombasa, Dr Stephen Ndolo from the National Syndemic Disease Control Council said the summit brought together government officials, county leaders, development partners and community representatives to review progress made in the response to HIV and chart the way forward. Dr Ndolo noted that Kenya has made major progress in reducing HIV-related deaths and infections over the last two decades. He said in 2003 the country recorded more than 100,000 HIV-related deaths annually, but the number dropped to about 21,000 last year, while new infections declined from over 100,000 to approximately 19,000. However, he warned that some regions continue to record high prevalence rates, particularly in Nyanza counties, including Kisumu, Siaya and Homa Bay. Urban counties such as Nairobi, Mombasa and Kiambu are also seeing rising infections largely due to population mobility around major metropolitan areas "Kenya has also introduced new long-acting HIV prevention technologies such as Lenacapavir and Cabotegravir to improve prevention and treatment adherence," he noted. He also assured that the country currently has adequate condom supply and is implementing a Total Market Approach, where free condoms are distributed to vulnerable groups, subsidized ones are available for low-income users, and commercial products remain available for those able to purchase them. At the same summit, Kenya's Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the government is restructuring the health system to integrate HIV services into broader healthcare delivery under ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the country's health system. Duale said Kenya's fight against HIV has been a global success story, noting that more than 1.3 million Kenyans living with HIV are currently accessing testing and treatment services. He said the country is now aligning HIV programmes with its Universal Health Coverage agenda through the Social Health Authority and the Social Health Insurance Fund, which he said had already enrolled nearly 30 million Kenyans as of March 2026. According to the CS, the government is strengthening primary health care networks to ensure HIV prevention and treatment services are no longer stand-alone programmes but part of a broader package of care that also addresses conditions such as non-communicable diseases and mental health. "Integration is the key to sustainability. By embedding HIV services within our domestic systems, we reduce fragmentation and optimise the use of shared infrastructure and human resources," Duale said. He also emphasised the role of county governments in implementing the integrated health model, saying counties remain the primary drivers of health service delivery. Meanwhile, HIV activists urged the government to ensure people living with HIV are included in decision-making and benefit fully from the integrated healthcare system. Patricia Asero Ocheng, director of the Renga Women Fighting AIDS Group, said patients often suffer from multiple illnesses, including tuberculosis, malaria and non-communicable diseases, and therefore require comprehensive care in one facility. Ochieng called for the HIV survivors to be covered under the SHA to ensure that they get comprehensive health care. She called for a "one-stop shop" model where patients can receive treatment for HIV alongside other conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and hepatitis without visiting multiple clinics. Asero also urged the government to fully integrate HIV services into the Social Health Authority benefits package and strengthen monitoring of drug side effects through regular medical testing. Participants at the summit expressed optimism that integrating disease programmes into the broader health system will strengthen Kenya's progress toward universal health coverage while ensuring uninterrupted care even as international donor funding continues to decline.

Stakeholders push for HIV services integration under SHA reforms

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