Excitement as a plan to end HIV in 2027 stays on course
By George Kebaso, September 6, 2024Excitement is running high the country might achieve HIV viral suppression even before the scheduled 2030 deadline for adults and Aids in children by 2027, if the current momentum is maintained.
It has emerged that the Kenya Plan to End Aids in Children by 2027 and Adults by 2030 is achieving unprecedented outcomes that only needs to be scaled up.
A three-day meeting, bringing together more than 300 participants in Nairobi, mostly adolescents and young persons, ended last evening with revelations showing that the HIV viral load has improved from around 50 per cent a decade ago to more than 90 per cent, currently.
This is only 15 per cent less the overall 95 per cent projected by the United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS).
Dr Emma Momanyi, technical advisor at the Centre for International Health, Education and Biosecurity-Kenya (CIHEB-Kenya) confirmed the ambition of the Global Alliance to end Aids in children by 2027, and adults by 2030, is achievable.
“As a country, through the guidance of the president, we have become more ambitious to have it end in 2027 with all the intervention that have been put in place; the policy guidance, and all the structures that are in place with the support of partners, I think the targets are very much achievable,” she said yesterday during the second of the Operation Triple Zero (OTZ) initiative conference which draws its curtains today.
Supportive framework
This initiative—which was founded in 2014—is designed to provide a structured, supportive framework tailored to meet the specific needs of Adolescent and Young Persons Living with HIV (AYPLHIV); empowering them to achieve better health outcomes and ultimately healthier lives.
However, this is in the backdrop of individuals aged 15 to 24 accounting for over 30 per cent of all new HIV infections in the country.
Dr Momanyi said despite the new infections, the interventions, jointly by government and partners, have seen the viral load suppression improve. “10 years ago, the viral load suppressions were around 60 percent, 70 percent, right now for our adolescent, most of the facilities are recording over 90 percent, and we see this as a commendable job,” she said, meaning that they’re doing well.
People living with HIV
The UNAIDS standards for HIV epidemic control (UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets) requires that 95 percent of all people living with HIV (PLHIV) are diagnosed, 95 percent of all PLHIV are on treatment and 95 percent of all PLHIV are virally suppressed.
The current UNAIDS 95-95-95 progress among adults is 95-95-90. However, among children the performance is 85-85-74.
“Through collaborations and partnerships, over the last ten years, Kenya reduced new HIV infections by 57 per cent, and Aids-related death decreased by 68 per cent. However, mother-to-child transmission rate remains high at 8.6 per cent, treatment coverage of children living with HIV is 85 per cent with about 74 per cent of those virally suppressed. This is concerning as children have been left behind and their voices remain unheard.”
National Aids and STI Control Programme (NASCOP) chief executive Dr Rose Wafula said through the institution, the Ministry of Health has provided strategic leadership, ensuring that OTZ is seamlessly integrated into Kenya’s National HIV response strategies.
“With three quarters of the counties embracing and implementing the initiative and the guidance provided by NASCOP in the development of the OTZ manual that is due for release, the Division is keen on supporting the integration of this initiative to improve treatment outcomes in the country,” she said during the opening session of the conference.
She outlined the guiding principle of OTZ as simple but powerful: “My life, my treatment, my choice.”
“This philosophy empowers members to take control of their health, equipping them with knowledge about antiretroviral medicines and encouraging them to become active participants in their treatment journeys,” Dr Wafula said.
OTZ, she pointed out, is committed to a clear and ambitious vision encapsulated in the “three zeros”: zero missed appointments, zero missed medication, and zero viral load.