In a decisive call to action, the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Medical Services, Dr. Ouma Oluga, has urged all 47 county governments to prioritize the integration of HIV prevention programs into local healthcare systems. This comes amid rising concerns over increasing HIV infections, particularly among Kenyan youth aged 15 to 24 years.
Speaking at the opening of the Joint Annual Program Review Workshop on the Syndemic Strategic Framework in Naivasha, Dr. Oluga revealed that Kenya recorded almost 6,000 new HIV infections within this age bracket in the last year alone. He described the statistics as “alarming” and called for immediate, coordinated intervention at the county level.
“We have prevention issues that we want counties to start integrating into their healthcare services. Around almost 6,000 new HIV infections between ages 15 and 24—this is quite alarming for the country,” said Dr. Oluga.
According to data from the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC), young people account for a significant portion of new HIV cases. Dr. Oluga attributed this trend to insufficient education on sexual health, limited access to youth-friendly health services, and weak enforcement of existing public health policies.“The main problem in that age group is the lack of education, but also enforcement,” he added, emphasizing the need for stronger school- and community-based outreach efforts.
The PS advocated for integrating HIV awareness and testing services into primary healthcare, school health programs, and community health promotion platforms. He acknowledged that counties have made strides in decentralizing health services and urged that HIV prevention be mainstreamed in all levels of healthcare delivery.
Dr. Oluga also highlighted that the Ministry of Health has deployed a well-coordinated mechanism for disease surveillance and prevention, which includes county surveillance officers and community health promoters. He encouraged counties to leverage these resources to establish sustainable and resilient HIV prevention mechanisms.
The PS underscored the importance of data-driven planning, urging counties to use localized data to understand transmission patterns and develop targeted interventions, especially for vulnerable populations.
The forum also focused on changes in health sector financing, which have shifted in 2025 due to budget realignments and new donor dynamics. Dr. Oluga noted that this change calls for reorganizing how HIV, TB, and malaria programs are funded, requiring greater accountability, innovation, and efficiency at the county level.
“We are here to look at the progress counties have made, but more importantly, to plan how we move forward with our response to HIV, TB, and malaria under the current financing and policy environment,” said Dr. Oluga.
The Joint Annual Program Review Workshop, organized by NSDCC, brought together stakeholders from county governments, health NGOs, international partners, and the Ministry of Health. Discussions revolved around integrating HIV, TB, and malaria prevention into the broader framework of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), ensuring that no one is left behind.
The meeting emphasized the need for comprehensive primary healthcare, improved diagnostics, community-led outreach, and multi-sectoral partnerships to reduce new infections and improve health outcomes nationwide.
Participants agreed that tackling HIV among the youth requires a multi-pronged approach:
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Comprehensive sexual education in schools
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Access to testing and counseling
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Provision of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
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Enhanced reproductive health services for adolescents
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Digital outreach to educate and engage youth
As the fight against HIV continues, the Ministry of Health and its partners are banking on county governments to play a bigger role in disease prevention and control. With Kenya committed to ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030, experts warn that the current youth infection trends could derail the country’s progress unless urgent action is taken.
“We must act now to protect our future generation. Every county must take ownership of the HIV response, and prevention must start at the grassroots,” Dr. Oluga concluded.
For more information on HIV prevention programs or to access youth-friendly services, visit your nearest health center or contact the NSDCC.
