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The war on HIV/Aids in the country has received a major boost after Kenya was elected vice chair of the UNAIDS Programme Coordination Board.

 This firmly puts Kenya on the decision table of the key global decision-making agency, as it seeks to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

 The election was conducted at the high-level 51st session of the Board’s meeting that concluded in Chiang Mai in Thailand.

 National Aids Control Council (NACC) CEO Ruth Masha thanked the Board members for their confidence in Kenya taking the position of vice chairmanship for 2023.

 “We particularly thank the African constituency for their support and will continue to rely on their wealth of expertise during this period, underscoring the importance of geographical diversity in decision-making,” Dr Masha said during the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) meeting.

 She said Kenya’s five-year plan for the HIV response will emphasize the need for sustained gains and bridging the gaps in the HIV response.

 This means the country will now be in a better place to influence policies and priorities for the local and global HIV response.

 It will also help in the establishment of broad policies and priorities for the Joint HIV and AIDS Programme.

 Other functions of the board which Kenya will vice chair include reviewing and approving HIV and AIDS budgets for each financial period besides approving arrangements for the financing of the joint programmes.

 The nomination came just two weeks after the World AIDS Report 2022 revealed that the estimated number of new HIV infections in Kenya increased by more than 2,000 cases in 2021, the first time the country recorded such a rise in 10 years.

 The number of reported new cases rose from 32,027 in 2020 to 34,540 in 2021, according to the report.