Celebrating the steps made to halt HIV march

Today we join the rest of the world in commemorating the World Aids Day.

The world has come a long way since HIV and Aids was discovered. So many people across the world have been affected by HIV and Aids. Millions of children have been orphaned; wives have been widowed; and families have lost their loved ones and bread winners.

In Kenya, the response to HIV and Aids has been multi-sectoral. That is the approach the Government took soon after declaring HIV and Aids a national disaster and a public health emergency in 1999. Various avenues and approaches are being applied to bring the number of those living with HIV/Aids down.

This year's theme of World Aids Day, Focus, Partner, Achieve: An Aids Free Generation resonates with the concerted efforts being put in place by various stakeholders.

In December last year, when the Organisation of First Ladies against HIV and Aids met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, I committed to champion the campaign to eliminate new HIV infections among children and to also ensure their mothers remained alive.

Today, it is one year since I made that commitment and the progress made has been good so far.

This being a cause close to my heart, I launched a five-year strategic framework to quicken progress in HIV control and promotion of maternal, new-born and child health in the country. We also launched Beyond Zero Campaign so that I could bring to the fore and address challenges faced by Kenyans especially in their battle with HIV and Aids.

The campaign's focal point is on issues relating to HIV, maternal and child health. It is through this drive that we look forward to addressing grave challenges that hamper access to maternal and child-health services. Beyond Zero Campaign is instrumental in tackling fresh HIV infections among children. It also promotes overall maternal, new-born and children's health.

However, it is unfortunate that only two in every five children who are HIV-infected are on lifesaving medicines. My fellow Kenyans, please do not hide children who are HIV-infected because with treatment, they can live a normal life like other children.

It is inspiring that from seashore to seashore Kenyans have overwhelmingly responded to this drive.

You have contributed generously to the cause, which demonstrates how much you believe in this project's success.

When we started the campaign, Kenyans of goodwill joined hands with us, which shows that the survival of mothers and their children is close to the hearts of many.

In March, many of you joined me in the Nairobi Half Marathon race. With every step we made on the track, with every sweat built on our brows, the impetus to carry on with the project has grown.

That is why we will keep our eyes glued to the target of Beyond Zero campaign which will eventually realise the dreams of quality healthcare to mothers and their children. Through this project we are looking at reducing maternal and child mortality by raising Sh600million.

The funds will be used to purchase the remaining 27 mobile clinics and also support various activities aimed at eliminating new HIV infections among children.

The mobile clinics will be used to deliver essential health services such as vaccination, antenatal care, treatment of sick children and parents, HIV testing and treatment.

When we look at our country, there are 1.6million Kenyans living with HIV, 1.4million of them being adults. The number of children (0-14years) living with HIV is 191,840. The same estimates indicate that HIV-positive pregnant women have reduced from 92,000 to 79,000.

Let us all join hands as we work hard to Focus, Partner and Achieve an Aids-free Generation.