Kiambu: Kiambu has been recognized as the best-performing county countrywide in protecting adolescent health, winning the County Excellence Award for Best Adolescent Triple Threat Performance.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Award was presented by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale during a national recognition ceremony and received on behalf of Kiambu by County Director of Health Dr. Hillary Kagwa. Kiambu earned the accolade for recording the lowest combined burden of adolescent HIV infections, teenage pregnancies, and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), commonly referred to as the ‘Triple Threat.’
The recognition highlights the county’s sustained efforts to strengthen preventive healthcare through investments in adolescent-friendly health services, public awareness campaigns, and partnerships aimed at improving the well-being of young people. During the ceremony, Duale also launched the Kenya AIDS Integration Strategic Framework (KAISF) 2025-2030 and the 47 county syndemic operational plans, which will guide the country’s response to HIV and related health challenges over the next five years.
The framework is expected to enhance collaboration between the national and county governments by supporting community-based interventions, including ward-level sensitization campaigns, medical outreach programs, and other locally tailored health initiatives. Duale said Kenya had made significant progress in reducing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths and encouraged counties to sustain investments in prevention, treatment, and care services, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Kiambu’s latest achievement builds on a series of interventions undertaken in recent years to address adolescent HIV infections, teenage pregnancies, and SGBV. In 2023, the County Government launched the ‘End the Triple Threat’ sensitization campaign in Kikuyu Sub-County. The initiative brought together national and county government agencies, community-based organizations, and healthcare workers to educate residents on HIV prevention, reproductive health, and gender-based violence.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health Dr. Elias Maina said then the campaign was designed to tackle the rising cases of adolescent pregnancies, new HIV infections, and SGBV through community education and preventive healthcare services. Further efforts were made in August 2024, when Governor Kimani Wamatangi oversaw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Kiambu County and LVCT Health. The partnership sought to strengthen HIV prevention and treatment programs while enhancing the long-term sustainability of HIV services in the county.
At the signing ceremony, Wamatangi reiterated his administration’s commitment to building resilient healthcare systems capable of sustaining HIV services through increased county ownership and investment. In November 2024, the Kiambu County government entered into another partnership with World Vision Kenya to establish an SGBV Recovery Centre at Nyathuna Level 4 Hospital in Kabete Sub-County. Speaking during the signing of the agreement at the time, Wamatangi said the facility would provide comprehensive support to survivors of gender-based violence, including medical care, psychosocial counseling, legal assistance, and rehabilitation services.
‘This center represents our commitment to ensuring survivors of gender-based violence receive comprehensive care, protection, and justice while restoring their dignity,’ said the governor. The county’s efforts are in line with the newly adopted UNAIDS Global AIDS Strategy 2026-2031, which advocates for increased domestic financing, people-centered healthcare, and stronger community-led interventions amid declining international HIV funding.
