The Global Fund HIV Grant Program, managed by the Kenya Red Cross society, has made significant strides in HIV prevention in Kilifi over the past three years.
As the program comes to a close, partners are celebrating the notable reduction in HIV prevalence, which has dropped from 4% three years ago to 2.5% this year.
In a press briefing as the partners were celebrating this milestone, Kenya Red Cross Regional Program Coordinator Salim Ahmed highlighted the program’s achievements. He emphasized that the initiative targeted specific high-risk groups in line with the Kenya AIDS Strategic Framework’s goals, which include reducing HIV prevalence and mortality rates and combating stigma and discrimination.
“Today we have come together as partners to reflect and celebrate the milestones that we have achieved in the past three years. From the data that was presented, you could see great improvement; the county government also noted that HIV incidents have gone down”, he said.
Ahmed explained that the program focused on young people living with HIV/AIDS, HIV-positive pregnant women to prevent mother-to-child transmission, discordant couples, men in high-risk settings, and other vulnerable populations.
The program, which ran from July 2021 to June 2024, saw a marked decrease in HIV incidents. Ahmed credited the success to the collaborative efforts of various partners, including KANCO, AMKENI, MZAZI Foundation, OMARI Project, JIINUE, and Connect to Retain.
Ahmed further revealed that among the methods used by the partners to ensure the success of the program included using peer educators, expert patients, and peer champions to mentor other young people and patients living with HIV/AIDS.
Despite the conclusion of this grant cycle, Ahmed announced that a new grant has been secured to continue the program, although on a smaller scale due to reduced funding.
“Although this particular grant is coming to a cycle, we already have a new grant that was signed yesterday. Kenya Red Cross was granted funds for the next cycle which means that we will definitely continue supporting these organizations at community level”, Ahmed remarked.
By Cynthia Maseno
