‘Vaginal rings’ the Ministry of Health has launched the use of vaginal rings among women in a bid to prevent the new HIV infections.
Speaking during the launch, Acting Director General, Patrick Amoth stated that women were the main target of of the program, as adolescents girls and young women contribute to nearly a third of new infections.
With no vaccine yet discovered , scientists are now creating other innovations such as injectable PrEP and vaginal rings which they believe may yield better HIV prevention and treatment solutions.
The Acting Director has pointed out the need for Kenya to adopt local technologies in the prevention of HIV as the country faces reduced funding in the health sector.
Mr. Patrick Amoth further indicated that Kenya’s HIV donor funding programs has reduced from 32%in the last decade to 18% in 2021,leading to the creation of local innovations to manage the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Vaginal Ring
The ‘vaginal ring’ study will be conducted across six counties in Kisumu, Nairobi and Mombasa, women aged 18 and above will be issued the vaginal rings.
The ring is made of silicon material it can e inserted by user and will be releasing regulated amounts of an antiretroviral drug dapivirine over a 28-year period, offering protection against HIV.
The ministry is working with sector players, to develop more preventive technologies against the virus.
“We are trying to look at a product which can prevent pregnancy and prevent HIV because we are seeing a lot of young women being more afraid of getting pregnant than actually contracting HIV. there is also the injectable that is long term we are looking at almost every six months that is currently being tried out there are also pills that are coming so we have quite a lot that we still have in the pipeline,” said Patricia Jeckonia, County Director, LVCT.
The rings will be available in the six county health facilities by the end of June after they receive clearance from the Kenya Pharmacy and Poisons Board.
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