More than 1.38 million people are living with HIV in Kenya, with men accounting for 35 per cent.
More men in Kenya are dying from HIV-Aids-related complications compared to women, despite fewer men living with the virus, the latest data from a State corporation shows.
Statistics from the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) who that more than 1.38 million people are living with HIV in Kenya, with men accounting for 35 percent (487,710) of the total cases.
Despite having a lower HIV prevalence (2.2 percent) compared to women (4.5 percent), men have been experiencing a higher mortality rate from AIDS-related complications.
In 2023, for instance, men accounted for 26 of the 56 daily deaths attributed to AIDS-related complications, highlighting a disproportionately high death rate among males.
NSDCC Deputy Director Caroline Kinoti attributes this partly to men’s reluctance to seek healthcare early, with many going to hospital when the viral load has grown to dangerous levels.
“Unlike women, who often interact with health systems during pregnancy and receive HIV testing, men rarely seek medical attention unless critically ill. This delay often leads to late diagnoses and poorer outcomes,” Ms Kinoti said during a workshop held in Machakos on Friday.
Substance abuse
“While antiretroviral therapy (ART) uptake among men has improved from 81 percent in 2020 to 90 percent in 2023, this is still below the UNAIDS target of 95 percent. Men also face additional challenges, including high rates of substance abuse, crime, and limited engagement in preventive health programmes,” she said.
In 2023, Kenya recorded 16,752 new HIV infections, with men accounting for 4,072 cases. Notably, adolescents and young adults (ages 15-34) constituted 73 percent of all new adult infections, with men significantly represented in this age group.
However, according to the data, men face a disproportionate burden in AIDS-related mortality in that year, representing 48 percent (9,808 deaths) of all such fatalities despite comprising just over a third of those living with the virus in 2023.
“This disparity is largely due to poor health-seeking behaviours, delayed testing, and inconsistent treatment adherence among men, which leaves them vulnerable to severe outcomes,” she said.
Mr Reuben Musundi, the deputy director in charge of partnerships and advocacy at NSDCC, also raised concerns about the disproportionate number of HIV-related deaths in Kenya.
“Although men account for 35 percent of all people living with HIV, close to half—48 percent—of all Aids-related deaths occurred among men. Six in every 10 adult men who died from Aids-related causes last year were aged 35 to 54 years,” he said.
Japheth Kioko, the head of monitoring and evaluation at NSDCC, revealed that new HIV infections have been significantly decreasing since 2013.
Last year, at least 16,752 Kenyans were newly infected with HIV, with the majority being adolescents and youth aged 15 to 34 years.
This marks a reduction of approximately 5,000 cases from the 22,154 new infections reported in 2022.
Mr Kioko noted that last year, 8,937 women tested positive for the virus, compared to 4,072 men and 3,743 children below 14 years.
“Kenya has 1.4 million people living with HIV, with a national prevalence of 3.3 percent. In 2023, there were 16,752 new infections, 39 percent of which were among those aged 15-24. AIDS-related deaths totalled 20,480, with men accounting for 48 percent of these deaths,” said Mr Kioko.
“Adolescents and young adults (15-34) make up 73 percent of new adult infections. HIV prevalence ranges from 0.1% in Wajir to 11.7 percent in Kisumu, and 51 percent of new infections are concentrated in nine counties. While new infections have dropped by 83 percent since 2013, challenges remain, including lower ART adherence, limited PrEP uptake, and gaps in HIV testing and antenatal care,” he added.
The nine counties are Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Siaya, Nairobi, Nakuru, Kiambu, Busia, and Mombasa.
The regions remain key focal areas in the fight against HIV, underscoring the need for targeted interventions to address the epidemic’s disproportionate impact on their populations.
