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 2003, the US government has invested at least 8 billion dollars in Kenya. Over the last 20 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.
Kenya is on the verge of achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, (95 percent of people with HIV diagnosed, 95 percent of them on ART and 95 percent of them virally suppressed) and PEPFAR is focusing on key and priority populations including young men and women under 30 years with critical HIV services to close critical gaps. PEPFAR’s work is data-driven from the national level down to the County and Sub-County level to best guide programmatic decision-making. PEPFAR’s data-driven approach provides evidence-based interventions for populations at greatest risk in areas of greatest HIV incidence.
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. 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.
GOK and Development Partners
The PEPFAR Team works with the National Syndemic Disease Control Council (NSDCC) and the National AIDS and STI Control Program (NASCOP) of the Ministry of Health, the Council of Governors, and other Ministries to ensure that programs we support meet Kenya’s needs and are aligned with the Government of Kenya (GOK) HIV strategies. 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.
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 achieving the following within FY23:
- Life-saving antiretroviral treatment (ART) for 1,299,989 men, women and children;
- 701,031 pregnant women with known HIV status (includes women who were tested for HIV and received their results);
- 32,272 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 52,562 men;
- Caring for 608,090 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC);
- HIV testing and counseling (HTC) for 3,088,687 Kenyans;
- Providing about 43,000 health care work staff across Kenya, including Clinical, Community, Program Management;
- 2,923 HIV Comprehensive Care Clinics.
Call for PEPFAR Community Grants Program applications – 2023