Nairobi — The National Aids and STIs Control Programme (NASCOP) has revealed that at least 140 health facilities across the country have been selected to tend to the accelerating number of advanced HIV patients.
Speaking in Machakos at a meeting organised by the National Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya (Nephak) to engage journalists, technical experts, and communities Lazarus Momanyi, a technical assistant at Nascop, said that the hospitals have been equipped to provide care to patients with the disease.
According to Momanyi, the health facilities were selected by the counties with support from NASCOP.
"They are hospital-level facilities where comprehensive packages of AHD care can be implemented with clinical expertise in management of critically unwell AHD patients," he said.
The facilities, Momanyi said, will have trained and qualified medical officers and proper laboratory capacity to monitor renal function, complete blood count, biochemistry, and other relevant diagnostics.
The World Health Organisation defines advanced HIV disease (AHD), previously known as AIDs, as a CD4 cell count below 200 cells or WHO stage 3 or 4 in adults and adolescents.
Advanced HIV disease is caused by late diagnosis, failure to enrol for treatment, and interrupted treatment.
Nephak Chairperson Nelson Otwama claims that the number of HIV-related deaths in the nation, particularly among men, is increasing as a result of people postponing or refusing to get tested for the virus.
"Men are coming to care too late. By the time they are diagnosed with Advanced HIV Disease, their immune systems are severely compromised. We need to address the barriers that prevent men from accessing care early," he said.
According to Nascop, at least 40 percent of individuals with new infections are presenting with advanced HIV.
Data by the National Syndemic Disease Control Council (NSDCC) shows that 113,000 people interrupted treatment in 2023.
Momanyi said there is an urgent need to optimise early detection and diagnosis of AHD by implementing effective screening programs.
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Momanyi further stated that Kenya is already working on an Advanced HIV Disease (AHD) implementation plan, which is still in its draft stage, that aims to guide healthcare workers in ensuring access to common opportunistic infection screening, treatment, and prophylaxis and linkages to other healthcare services for all AHD cases.
"Going forward healthcare workers will use CD4 tests to identify AHD while screening all newly diagnosed PLHIV, those returning to care after treatment interruptions and those with suspected treatment failure," he stated.
