The United States and Kenya placed combating HIV at the center of a renewed partnership in health cooperation, the two countries agreeing to pursue greater prevention and treatment cooperation.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Thursday received U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Susan M. Burns in Nairobi, where the two parties negotiated the most optimal manner to sustain progress registered under the U.S.-backed PEPFAR program.
PEPFAR has been conservatively estimated to have saved more than 26 million lives worldwide and prevented at least 7.8 million HIV-exposed births. In Kenya, it remains one of the pillar’s strongest pillar support at the country level, facilitating treatment and care for thousands of families.
“HIV is still one of our biggest public health battles. The progress we’ve seen through PEPFAR cannot be taken for granted,” CS Duale said after the meeting, noting that the partnership would help Kenya push closer to an HIV-free generation.
America has unveiled a new Global Health Strategy, based on the PEPFAR. Washington made a long-term commitment of support for Kenya’s health reforms and Universal Health Coverage strategy in return for the deal.
The negotiations also triggered talks on Horn of Africa health issues more broadly, but the two nations insisted that preventing and treating HIV would continue to be a high priority.
Mr. Tim Trenkle, Political Counselor with the United States Embassy, accompanied Ms. Burns to the meeting as well.
