Kenya is on course to achieve "AIDS-free" status by 2030

Kenyan National Aids Control Council, official says the country is on course to achieve an "AIDS-free" status by 2030.

Nduku Kilonzo Director, National Aids Control Council, on Wednesday told policymakers and campaigners at a forum in Nairobi that Kenya ranked among African countries that had made "tremendous progress" in containing AIDS, which affects 5.6 per cent of the Kenyan population.

"We are on course to ensure HIV and AIDS will no longer be a public health challenge by 2030, and given the current political stewardship and increased financing that feat is achievable.’’

Kilonzo said that besides doubling budgetary allocation to HIV and AIDS programmes, the Kenyan government had also supported county-led interventions to fight the epidemic.

She said that government was focusing on evidence based interventions to halt new infections among high risk groups that include adolescents, sex workers, truck drivers and migrant labourers.

"Kenya will send a delegation to attend the UN General Assembly's high level meeting on HIV and AIDS due in June.

"The Kenyan delegation will lobby the international community to support Kenya's ongoing programmes meant to reduce new infections and fatalities linked with the AIDS virus,’’ she said.

Kilonzo also reiterated that government was looking at integrating HIV and AIDS treatment with the health insurance scheme.