By Erestinah Jane, July 1, 2026
Health officials in Siaya County have raised concern over a sharp increase in new HIV infections among adolescents and young people, revealing that cases within the age group have risen by 47 per cent despite ongoing prevention and treatment programmes.
The increase has prompted county health authorities to intensify community-based interventions as they seek to reverse the worrying trend through expanded awareness campaigns, improved access to prevention services and strengthened youth engagement.
According to county health officials, the rise in infections has shifted the focus from routine clinical monitoring to aggressive community outreach targeting adolescents and young adults, particularly during school holidays and other periods when young people are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviour.
Officials noted that although Siaya has introduced long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy for eligible patients, new infections among teenagers continue to increase due to persistent gaps in comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education, misinformation and limited access to prevention services.
The National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) identified several interconnected factors contributing to the rise in infections, including teenage pregnancies, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and inadequate access to youth-friendly healthcare services.
Health experts described the situation as a triple threat, warning that these overlapping challenges continue to expose many adolescents to a higher risk of HIV infection.
County data shows that adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years account for approximately 18 per cent of all antenatal clinic attendances in the county, highlighting the continued prevalence of teenage pregnancies.
The same age group also accounts for about 36 per cent of reported sexual and gender-based violence cases, further increasing vulnerability to HIV transmission.
Health officials noted that survivors of sexual violence often face delayed access to emergency medical care, counselling and HIV prevention services, increasing the likelihood of infection.
The county’s findings mirror broader national concerns despite Kenya recording significant progress in reducing HIV infections over the past several years.
Nationally, new HIV infections have declined by about 56 per cent since 2020, reflecting the success of expanded testing, treatment and prevention programmes.
However, health authorities say transmission patterns are changing, with infections increasingly being recorded among adolescents and young people in rural and peri-urban communities that previously reported comparatively lower HIV burdens.
According to national health data, children, adolescents and young people now account for approximately 55 per cent of all new HIV infections recorded across the country.
In response to the surge, Siaya County has announced a comprehensive reorganization of its HIV prevention strategy.
The county’s HIV coordinator said surveillance officers and community health promoters will be permanently deployed within communities to strengthen early detection, awareness and prevention initiatives.
The new approach will prioritize peer-to-peer engagement forums where trained young people will educate their peers on HIV prevention, reproductive health, healthy relationships and available support services.
These sessions will be held regularly during school holidays, when adolescents are considered more vulnerable due to increased social interaction outside the classroom.
County health officials believe that creating safe, non-judgmental spaces for open discussion will help dispel myths surrounding HIV, reduce stigma and encourage more young people to seek testing and treatment.
The outreach programme will also expand access to HIV prevention tools, including Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), condoms, counselling services and voluntary HIV testing.
Health workers will collaborate with schools, religious institutions, youth organizations and community leaders to ensure prevention messages reach adolescents both in and out of school.
Officials have also emphasized the importance of strengthening parental involvement and comprehensive sexuality education to equip young people with accurate information needed to make informed decisions about their health.
The county government expressed confidence that the intensified community-based approach will help slow the rise in new infections while supporting Kenya’s broader goal of ending HIV as a public health threat.
