NSDCC, women leaders concerned over increasing HIV infection cases
Kenyan women leaders and health officials are raising alarms over rising HIV infection rates among youth and high numbers of adolescent pregnancies. They are calling for stricter enforcement of laws against gender-based violence and better support for prevention programs.
Why it matters
The 'Triple Threat' of HIV, teenage pregnancy, and gender-based violence represents a significant public health and social crisis for Kenya's youth population.
The Kenya Women Senator's Association (KEWOSA) has expressed concerns over rising cases of new HIV infections among the youth across the country.
KEWOSA Vice Chair Catherine Mumma and National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) acting director Jenny Gakii also decried increasing rates of adolescent pregnancies and gender-based violence.
They are now demanding that security agencies take action against perpetrators and urging the youth to take precautionary measures to curb the new HIV infections and adolescent pregnancies.
In Kilifi alone, Gakii said that more than 40,000 people were living with HIV aids and that the county recorded 389 new infections in 2025.
"Last year we witnessed 389 new HIV infection cases, and we have 75 per cent of adult new HIV infections nationally occurring among adolescent and young people below 35 years of age," she said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in