ACCRA, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 (CISA) – Kenya is committed to reducing new HIV infections by 75 percent and eliminate mother to child infections by 2017, First Lady Margaret Kenyatta has said.
“There is a sense of urgency to scale up the country’s health interventions by increasing resource allocations and strengthening the country’s overall health system delivery…Kenya is in the acceleration phase, working towards elimination of mother to child HIV infections,” said Mrs Kenyatta.
Mrs. Kenyatta was addressing participants at the ongoing 7th Africa Conference on Sexual Health and Rights (ACSHR) that it taking place in Accra Ghana.
The meeting that was hosted by Dr Nana Lordina Mahama the First Lady of Ghana was attended by First Ladies from the 53 African Union (AU) states, including First Ladies from Mali, Ivory Coast, Chad, Ethiopia, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Cote d’ Ivore and Burkina Faso.
To achieve these targets in Kenya, she said, the Kenyan youth who are key stakeholders in the All-In campaign to reduce HIV infections, must be empowered and economically facilitated.
The First Lady said it is essential to fully engage the youth who are the custodians of the All-In campaign by embracing relevant communication platforms, applied action plans and the commitment of youth funds with specific targets.
The All-In campaign adopts a coordinated multi-sectoral response to end new infections and Aids related deaths among adolescent and young people across Africa.
President Uhuru Kenyatta launched Kenya’s All-in edition of the Global campaign against adolescent infection and deaths by HIV/Aids in February 2015.
The Health Plan launched by the President is a two year roadmap to fast track the country’s national targets towards a 75 percent reduction of HIV by next year.
“To achieve the health targets Kenya we have set for our self, we will make the right decisions, right recommendations and engage sustainable partnerships,” Presidential Communication Strategic Unit (PSCU) quoted the First lady as saying.
The multi-sectoral approach adopted by Kenya in the campaign incorporates several ministries that deal with the youth especially the ministry of Education and Health.
“The Ministries of Education and Health together have also introduced HIV education in schools to influence behaviour change and reduce HIV vulnerability among our young people in Kenya,” she added.
