Kenya

Kenya, with support from the Joint Team continued to scale up access to HIV and harm reduction services for key and vulnerable populations. Active engagement of adolescent and young people further improved access and uptake of HIV, sexual and reproductive health, and gender-based violence services in six counties (UNFPA, UN Women, UNODC). For instance, 56 492 adolescents and young people, including university students accessed these services or obtained information on the topics via one2one hotline, mobile apps and through youth champions from the University of Nairobi; 1670 participated in policy and advocacy efforts and created the Uasin Gishu Adolescent Girls and Young Women movement to strengthen peer and community mobilization. In addition, 136 University Health Services staff members received training to deliver youth-friendly, inclusive, and non-discriminatory sexual and reproductive health and rights services (UNESCO). A gender desk, the first in the country, was established at the University of Nairobi to address gender-based violence in institutions of higher learning (UNESCO, UN Women) Additionally, 14 640 workers, predominantly males from informal sectors in Kilifi County and persons with disabilities were sensitized on HIV prevention and received a total of 6380 male and female condoms in partnership with the Central Organization of Trade Unions and the Federation of Kenya Employers (ILO). A newly established Opioid Agonist Therapy centre in Nairobi Remand and Allocation prison expanded services to people who use or inject drugs in the prison and its surrounding areas (UNODC).

HIV treatment services were strengthened through the implementation of the 2022 national antiretroviral treatment (ART) guidelines in alignment with global recommendations; revision and optimization of the adult and paediatric treatment cascades and expansion of differentiated service delivery models to support multimonth dispensing of ART for all eligible people living with HIV (WHO, UNAIDS Secretariat). Furthermore, 1161 refugees living with HIV received support to access HIV prevention, testing and treatment as well as other health services in 65 comprehensive care centres (UNHCR). In addition, 4,341 workers (60% males) were tested for HIV through the VCT@WORK initiative with 23 workers who tested positive linked to treatment (ILO).

A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) booklet on Infant and Young child feeding was developed to curb vertical transmission of HIV during the breastfeeding period (UNICEF). Two counties completed the Last mile to EMTCT plans with technical and financial support from the Joint Team (UNICEF, UNAIDS Secretariat).