MoH flags surge in youth HIV infections, calls for stronger prevention strategies
Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr Ouma Oluga says nearly 6,000 new infections had been recorded among individuals aged 15 to 24.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has raised concerns over the increasing number of HIV infections among young people, calling on county governments to integrate prevention strategies into their existing healthcare services.
Speaking during the opening of the Joint Annual Program Review Workshop on the Syndemic Strategic Framework in Naivasha, Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr Ouma Oluga said nearly 6,000 new infections had been recorded among individuals aged 15 to 24.
More To Read
- FDA approves groundbreaking twice-yearly HIV prevention shot
- Kenya’s war on HIV, TB and malaria faces setback as funding drops sharply
- Wajir launches campaign against HIV, teen pregnancies, GBV as new infections emerge in ASAL counties
- Turkana celebrates major milestone in fight against mother-to-child HIV transmission
- Oluga calls for urgent reforms in blood services to avert crisis, boost UHC goals
- US aid cuts threaten youth development gains globally, study warns
Dr Oluga described the trend as deeply troubling and attributed it to gaps in education and enforcement of preventive measures.
He said the high number of new cases signals serious gaps in both education and enforcement, which must be addressed through sustainable and coordinated interventions.
"We have issues of prevention that we want counties to now start integrating into their healthcare services,” said Dr Oluga.
He stressed that countries must make HIV prevention a standard part of health service delivery rather than treating it as a separate or occasional effort.
MoH, he said, has already established a coordinated prevention mechanism that includes surveillance officers and community health promoters working at the county level.
“We are working to consolidate efforts and ensure our interventions are both sustainable and resilient going forward,” he noted.
Dr Oluga warned that without long-term, integrated strategies, efforts to reduce HIV transmission, especially among adolescents and young adults, will continue to fall short.
He also noted that recent changes in the health sector’s funding landscape have required a reorganisation of resources for tackling syndemic diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.
Top Stories Today
