County Governments have been urged to include HIV prevention strategies in their healthcare services.

Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr Ouma Oluga said prevention is necessary as it will help reduce rising infection rates among young people.

He expressed his concern over the increasing number of new infections among adolescents and young adults in the country.

“We have issues of prevention that we want counties to now start integrating into their healthcare services,” Dr Oluga said.

Oluga was speaking while officiating the opening of the Joint Annual Program Review Workshop on the Syndemic Strategic Framework, convened by the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) in Naivasha on Tuesday.

According to Oluga, nearly 6,000 new HIV infections were recorded among individuals aged 15 to 24, describing the trend as deeply troubling.

He said the Ministry of Health has put in place a structured prevention system across counties, bringing together surveillance teams and community health workers.

“We are working to consolidate efforts and ensure our interventions are both sustainable and resilient going forward,” he said.

He explained that the high number of infections among teenagers is mainly because there are gaps in education and a lack of proper enforcement of health measures.

This, he said, shows the urgent need for stronger and more complete strategies to help protect young people, who are especially at risk.

The PS said that syndemic diseases like HIV, TB and malaria have required a reorganisation of financing, following the recent shifts in the health sector’s funding landscape that have required a reorganization of financing for the diseases.

“This workshop provides an opportunity to assess county-level progress, but more importantly, to shape how we move forward in responding to syndemic diseases and implementing Universal Health Coverage,” Oluga said.

A recent report showed that three out of every four Kenyans living with HIV said they were unable to find a love partner because of their status, while a similar number stated they have been unable to cope with stress and forge close and secure relationships.