Subcounty Grapples with Rising HIV Cases and Teenage Pregnancies

By Lisa Munini

Mwala Subcounty  is facing a growing public health crisis, with recent reports highlighting a surge in HIV infections and teenage pregnancies.

The area now has approximately 6,000 people living with HIV (PLHIV), placing it second in Machakos in terms of HIV prevalence.

Adding to the concern are figures from January to August 2024, which show Mwala also ranks second in the county for teenage pregnancies. Authorities recorded 363 cases among girls aged 10 to 19 and 477 cases among women aged 20 to 24, raising alarm among health stakeholders and triggering calls for urgent action.

In response, Medicus Mundi Italia (MMI), in collaboration with the University of Verona, the Machakos County Ministry of Health, and Deaf Empowerment Kenya (DEK), have launched the Community Oriented Actions against HIV (COACH) project.

The initiative aims to curb new infections, boost early diagnosis, and improve health services at the grassroots level.

Speaking at the launch in Machakos, Italian Ambassador to Kenya Roberto Natali reaffirmed Italy’s long-standing commitment to global health.

He noted that Italy has contributed more than €1.3 billion to the Global Fund since its inception, including a €185 million pledge for the 2023–2025 cycle—a 15 percent increase from the previous period.

Mr. Natali said the COACH initiative is aligned with Kenya’s 2024–2026 health strategy, which seeks to reduce new HIV infections by 75%, cut HIV-related deaths by 50%, and lower mother-to-child transmission to below 5%. Long-term goals include reducing HIV incidence by 80% and TB mortality by 90% by 2030.

MMI Country Coordinator Novel Mehary emphasized that the COACH initiative will strengthen local health systems, scale up community-based HIV and TB prevention programs, and promote personalized treatment plans to meet individual patient needs.

Kenya Coordinating Mechanism Representative Samuel Muia acknowledged the critical role of international support, revealing that Kenya is currently managing a $407 million grant from the Global Fund, which runs until 2027. Italy, he said, continues to be a key contributor to these efforts.

Since its launch in 2002, the Global Fund has saved over 65 million lives globally. In Kenya, more than 1.4 million people living with HIV are receiving life-saving treatment, leading to a 43% drop in HIV-related deaths and offering hope for continued progress in the fight against the epidemic.