PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARY
Since 2011, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has significantly contributed to the HIV response in Kenya. Through US Centers’ for Disease Control and Prevention-funded grants, the Kenya AIDS Response Program (KARP I: 2011-2016 and KARP II: 2017-2022), KCCB has supported HIV response through a network of 57 Faith-Based Organization (FBO) health facilities in Western Kenya and expanded access to high quality HIV prevention, care and treatment services, strengthened health systems for efficient service delivery, and built capacity within FBOs and county health management systems. Key achievements from 2011 to date include provision of HIV testing services to 2,584,076 individuals; identified 69,586 new HIV positive individuals and linked them to treatment; served 162,275 pregnant women and offered them PMTCT services; tested 157,573 pregnant women attending first ANC for HIV; 22,973 pregnant women had their HIV status identified as new or known HIV positive;19,464 HIV-exposed infants received early infant diagnosis (with a mother to child transmission rate of less than 3%); initiated 62,823 individuals (58,089 adults and 4,734 children) on ARVs; and increased number of clients on ART from 18,010 clients in 2011 to 84,602 in December 2021 (4,538 children and 80,064 adults) with overall viral suppression rate of 95%. KCCB has implemented DREAMS interventions since October 2018 and has reached 11,616 unique AGYW (9-14 years) with evidence-based HIV prevention interventions.
KCCB is excited to present this new project dubbed “KCCB ACTS Project” (AC=Accelerating; T=Transitioning; S=Sustaining) to support the sustainable implementation of comprehensive HIV prevention and treatment services in FBO facilities in Kenya. KCCB brings over 65 years of experience in health service provision in Kenya. ACTS will expand high quality HIV prevention, care, and treatment services to 137 FBO affiliated health facilities across twenty-seven target counties. These counties contribute nearly 70% of all new HIV infections in Kenya, with extremely high prevalence rates among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) (21%). ACTS will scale up HIV prevention, care and treatment services in these counties to reach more adults, including pregnant women, men, adolescents and children infected with HIV. ACTS will employ proven strategies to reach and serve the general, key and priority populations, including pregnant women, fisherfolk, AGYW, older men, and orphans and vulnerable children.
The purpose of ACTS is to continue the acceleration of high-quality comprehensive HIV services, to sustain gains in epidemic control and achieve 95-95-95 targets, and transition to an integrated and sustainable service delivery model for the FBO sector, through evidence-based, equitable, person-centered HIV services with collaborations with stakeholders. ACTS is aligned to the vision provided by PEPFAR 4.0, Kenya AIDS Strategic Framework II, and the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets. ACTS will strengthen health systems within FBO parent bodies and their health facilities for ownership. Additionally, ACTS will work with the Kenya Faith Based Health Services Coordinating Committee, Council of Governors, Ministry of Health, Kenya government to provide technical oversight and leadership of the HIV response, advocate for increased allocation of domestic resources to HIV services and expand systems for transition and sustainability. ACTS will collaborate with other HIV programs to guarantee synergy and efficiency in HIV service delivery towards epidemic control.
Project outcomes will be increased investment and accountability of FBOs and County Governments in the HIV/TB program; reduced HIV TB related morbidity and mortality; virtual elimination of MTCT of HIV; reduced HIV incidence; reduced incidence of stigma, discrimination and violence against PLHIV and KP/PP; and sustained capacity of FBOs to deliver and monitor high-quality HIV services.
