NAIROBI, Kenya, May 23 – A recent Kenya HIV estimates report 2020 shows that Nairobi currently has the highest burden of people living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya with an estimated 167,446 residents living with the disease.
The report also indicated that an estimated 4,446 new HIV infections occurred in 2020 with adolescents and young people contributing 1,475 (33percent) of all new infections.
As part of measures to mitigate the situation Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director General Mohammed Badi said they have put in place measures and HIV/AIDS programs.
“As outlined in the Kenya AIDS Strategic Framework II 2020/2021, Nairobi County is committed to achieving the 95-95-95 targets by the year 2022 and to end the HIV epidemic by 2030,” he stated.
The 95-95-95 targets include having 95 percent of all HIV positive people diagnosed, 95 percent of those diagnosed provided with antiretroviral therapy and finally having 95 percent of those treated achieve viral suppression by 2030.
Badi reported that so far NMS has set up 24 new hospitals complete with HIV/AIDS prevention and control units to encourage HIV testing uptake especially among young people.
“NMS is also working towards increasing capacity-building initiatives and enhancing community activities for young people to address the knowledge gap on contraceptives and other HIV-related issues,” Badi stated.