A total of 2,607 children under the age of 14 succumbed to HIV and AIDS in 2023, with 3,743 new HIV infections recorded among children under the age of four during the same period.
The National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) stated that of the estimated new infections, 37.7 per cent were attributed to mothers discontinuing antiretroviral therapy (ART), while 25.5 per cent resulted from mothers not receiving ART at all.
The Council’s report released on Monday indicates that between 2015 and 2023, progress in reducing AIDS-related deaths has been slowest among adolescents and young people aged 15-24, with a 46 percent reduction from 3,853 deaths in 2015 to 2,093 in 2023.
“Sixty-three percent (63 per cent) of new HIV infections among infants were due to mother-to-child transmission linked to non-use or discontinuation of antiretroviral therapy,” the report states.
It also notes that in 2023, no county in Kenya achieved the mother-to-child transmission rate validity target of less than 5 per cent.
Five counties had mother-to-child transmission rates higher than 20 per cent: Wajir (33.5 per cent), Mandera (26.9 per cent), Samburu (26.8 per cent), West Pokot (21.2 per cent), and Isiolo (20.9per cent).
“Seven counties had mother-to-child transmission rates lower than the national average, with Migori, Kisumu, Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Siaya, and Nairobi achieving the lowest rates, at less than 7 per cent,” the report adds.
The report also reveals a decline in antenatal care (ANC) attendance, dropping from 96 per cent in 2021 to 88 per cent in 2023.
ANC coverage
Only 10 counties achieved more than 95 per cent ANC coverage in 2023, including Isiolo, Turkana, Kajiado, Tana River, Lamu, West Pokot, Kirinyaga, Nairobi, Siaya, and Kiambu.
During World AIDS Day on December 1, NSDCC Chief Executive Officer Ruth Masha expressed concern over the figures and emphasized the importance of initiating age-appropriate conversations about sex as children grow.
She urged parents to overcome cultural taboos and engage their children in sex education at a young age to help curb the spread and prevent the virus.
“We are failing our children. We must end the culture of shying away from these discussions because a lack of knowledge sometimes costs them their lives,” she said.
She added that mother-to-child transmission is preventable if the necessary procedures are followed.
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This comes as the Ministry of Health reports that new HIV infections have decreased by 83 over the past decade, while AIDS-related deaths have reduced by 64 per cent.
Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa, speaking during World AIDS Day, noted that by the end of 2023, adult treatment coverage had reached 98 per cent, with 97 per cent of those on treatment achieving viral suppression.
However, she called on the public and stakeholders for renewed action and commitment to eliminating HIV as a public health threat.
Barasa emphasized the critical role of men and boys in the fight against HIV, urging them to challenge stigma, promote health-seeking behaviors, and lead community efforts.
“The fight against HIV is a collective effort, and men and boys must be champions for change. This is a race against time to end AIDS by 2030,” she said.
Barasa acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly in addressing care gaps for children, young people, and men, who are disproportionately affected.
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