Nairobi — Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has announced that Kenya requires Sh30 billion to secure essential HIV prevention, treatment, and long-term care commodities, emphasizing the scale of investment needed to sustain the country's progress against the epidemic.
Speaking at Nyayo Stadium, where he represented President William Ruto during the 2025 World AIDS Day national commemoration, Mudavadi said the funding is critical for supporting the 1.3 million Kenyans living with HIV and for safeguarding future generations.
"With 1,326,336 people living with HIV in Kenya, our nation requires Ksh30 billion to secure vital commodities for prevention, care, and long-term management," he said.
"These numbers remind us that this fight is not just medical, but a national duty to protect our people and secure the well-being of future generations."
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Mudavadi noted that HIV and AIDS have shaped Kenya's social and health landscape for more than four decades, testing national resilience but also inspiring progress.
He highlighted recent gains, including the fact that 87 per cent of Kenyans living with HIV are on antiretroviral treatment (ART) and that Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) coverage has reached 90.1%, contributing to healthier mothers and HIV-free newborns.
"We reaffirm the government's commitment to guaranteeing that every Kenyan can access comprehensive prevention, care, and treatment services," Mudavadi added.
"Through continued collaboration with partners, we will ensure life-saving medication reaches all who need it."
Kenya marked World AIDS Day 2025 with a series of national activities, including a symbolic half-marathon, public mobilisation drives, and the launch of the Kenya AIDS Integration Strategic Framework (KAISF) 2025-2030--a major policy shift aimed at ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
The new framework integrates HIV services with broader health areas, including TB, STIs, mental health, reproductive health, and noncommunicable diseases, creating a unified, people-centred care model.
It aims to modernise systems, strengthen domestic financing, and expand equitable access across all counties.
Officials described the framework as a transformative step toward sustainable, county-led HIV service
Speakers at the event raised alarm over a 19% surge in new HIV infections, which increased from 16,752 in 2023 to 19,991 in 2024, reversing earlier gains.
The sharpest spike occurred among adolescents aged 10-19, who experienced a 34% increase in new infections.
Mudavadi called this trend "aggressive and worrying," urging the country to confront the challenge decisively:
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"The resurgence needs to be checked before it finishes our young generation," he warned.
The National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) Acting CEO, Dr. Douglas O. Bosire, linked the rise to the broader Triple Threat of HIV infections, teenage pregnancies, and sexual and gender-based violence--issues disproportionately affecting adolescents and young women.
Dr. Kinyanjui, the Country Program Manager, highlighted the practical benefits already emerging from the integration of HIV services.
He explained that merging HIV care with routine primary and chronic disease services has enhanced continuity of care across the health system, reduced stigma, improved patient experience, and strengthened service delivery at a time when donor support is declining.
While commending counties for maintaining HIV services despite funding constraints, he urged stronger national leadership to guide the transition.
He called on the government to develop a national integration guideline to help counties standardize HIV care.
"HIV integration is a powerful opportunity to eliminate stigma, but we need to strengthen our communication. As implementing partners, we are also requesting a national guideline to help counties standardize HIV care," he said.
The World AIDS Day Half Marathon brought together runners, health workers, youth groups, civil society, and community advocates, symbolizing Kenya's resilience and shared responsibility in ending the HIV epidemic.
