Kenya
The first case of HIV was diagnosed in Kenya in 1985; adult HIV prevalence has now stabilized around 6.3 percent, according to the most recent Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) 2008—2009. Heterosexual sex is the primary form of transmission in the country, and the epidemic varies greatly across demographic groups. HIV prevalence is nearly two times higher among adult women compared to men, varies markedly by region, and is higher among the richest wealth quintile when compared to the poorest. Data from recent national surveys, including the 2007
Kenya AIDS Indicator Survey and KDHS 2008—2009, have shown promising increases in behaviors that help slow the spread of HIV, including an increase in condom use, delay in sexual debut, and reduction in the number of sexual partners.
U.S. Government (USG) activities in Kenya aim to integrate maternal and child health, family planning, reproductive health, and HIV/AIDS services in both clinical and community settings across eight provinces. Pregnant and postpartum women who attended family planning (FP), antenatal, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) clinics received counseling on both FP and HIV prevention, as did attendees at voluntary counseling and testing centers, enabling programs to reach a large cross section of the population. PEPFAR support has assisted with the scale-up of the national PMTCT program, which has almost reached national scale.
The USAID East Africa Regional office also supports USG activities in Kenya. In 2009, USAID East Africa worked with communities and local businesses to develop solutions to issues that impede service uptake and behavior change among high-risk populations. An increasing number of programs in Kenya have incorporated substance abuse into their programs, and an alcohol abuse support group developed by a Kenyan community has served as a model for other programs targeting drug adherence and behavior change. The program has expanded to 106 groups with 1,592 members in two years. Initial data suggest this program increases antiretroviral therapy adherence and reduces risky behavior.
View the full USAID
HIV/AIDS Health Profile for Kenya - September 2010 [PDF,
125KB].
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