PEPFAR in Kenya
PEPFAR is the U.S. Government initiative to help save the lives of those suffering from HIV/AIDS around the world. Since 2004, the US government has invested at least 6.5 billion dollars in Kenya. In just eleven years, PEPFAR has moved from an emergency program to one squarely focused on controlling the epidemic. While Phase I of PEPFAR focused on building an Emergency Response, Phase II, emphasized Sustainability and established Partnership Frameworks. Now, PEPFAR is in what may be its most challenging, but exciting, phase yet—Phase III focusing on Sustainable Control of the Epidemic.
To reach the Fast-track 90-90-90 targets, (90 percent of people with HIV diagnosed, 90 percent of them on ART and 90 percent of them virally suppressed by 2020), PEPFAR is focusing on key and priority populations including young men and women under 30 years with critical HIV services.
In 2016, PEPFAR successfully executed the “Test and Start” guidelines – same day treatment initiation for HIV infected persons – scaling up care and treatment efforts in counties, which held 90% of the national HIV burden. The implementation of the “Test and Start” guidelines nearly doubled the number of new patients starting ART.
PEPFAR’s work is data-driven from the national level down to the County and Sub-County level to best guide programmatic decision-making. The data-driven approach that strategically targets geographic areas and populations where we can achieve the most impact for our investments. PEPFAR is committed to going where the virus is—targeting evidence-based interventions for populations at greatest risk in areas of greatest HIV incidence
How we work
The PEPFAR Program is coordinated out of the PEPFAR Coordination Office and implemented by committed Kenyan and American technical staff of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Defense (DOD) – U.S. Army Medical Research Unit / Walter Reed Project (USAMRU/WRP), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and staff and volunteers of the Peace Corps.
GOK and Development Partners
The PEPFAR Team works with the National AIDS Control Council (NACC) and NASCOP, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education to ensure that programs we support meet Kenya’s needs and are aligned with the Government of Kenya (GOK) HIV Strategic Plan. PEPFAR further coordinates with Civil Society Organizations, The Global Fund Mechanism in Kenya, UNAIDS, UNICEF, the World Bank, the World Health Organization, and Development Partners in Health-Kenya to promote high levels of complementarity across all partners engaged in Kenya’s HIV response.
Implementing Partners
Through over 100 PEPFAR-supported implementing partners, the US Government is providing high quality comprehensive prevention, care, and treatment services in counties most affected by HIV/AIDS in Kenya.
PEPFAR Achievements in Kenya
PEPFAR has been working in Kenya since 2003. This year, working closely with many partners, PEPFAR has saved millions of lives by supporting:
- Life-saving antiretroviral treatment (ART) for 1,196,478 men, women and children
- 1,036,343 million pregnant women with known HIV status (includes women who were tested for HIV and received their results)
- Over 52,659 HIV-positive pregnant women have received antiretroviral to reduce risk of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) during pregnancy and delivery
- Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) for HIV prevention for 121,592 men
- Caring for over 732,159 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC)
- HIV testing and counseling (HTC) for 5,426,792 people
- Human Resources for Health translating to $62,898,400.12
- 3,670 HIV Comprehensive Care Clinics
Read the PEPFAR Kenya Fact Sheet
PEPFAR Community Grants Program