Makueni Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili Speaking during the Commemoration of the World AIDS Day on December 1, 2025. Photo by DG's Press. 
By Andrew Mbuva
Makueni County on Monday joined the rest of the world in commemorating World AIDS Day, using the occasion to take stock of progress made in the HIV response while raising alarm over a worrying rise in new infections among young people.
Speaking at the Makueni County Referral Hospital during the event themed “End AIDS in Adolescents and Young People,” Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili noted that despite notable achievements, the county still faces significant challenges—particularly among adolescents and youth.
Mrs. Mulili revealed that Makueni has an estimated 18,264 people living with HIV, representing 1.38 percent of all HIV cases in Kenya. The county’s HIV prevalence stands at 1.83 percent—lower than the national average of 3.3 percent—an indicator of progress she said can be improved even further.
“We are doing well and we can go lower, even to less than one percent. It is possible if we continue working together,” she said.
But behind the optimistic outlook lies a troubling trend: Makueni recorded 199 new HIV infections in the latest national estimates, with young people bearing a disproportionate burden.
Out of the new infections, 50 were among youth aged 15 to 24. Nine cases were recorded among young men and 43 among children aged between zero and 14. The Deputy Governor described the numbers as a call to action, stressing the urgent need to strengthen youth–friendly health services and address the triple threat of HIV, unintended pregnancies, and gender-based violence.
“These figures highlight the need to protect our daughters, empower our young people and confront the root causes that expose them to risk,” she said.
Makueni County Executive Committee Member for Health, Joyce Mutua, echoed similar concerns. While celebrating the milestones achieved over the decades—including the ability of people living with HIV to lead healthy lives and have children—Mutua warned that the battle is far from won.
“When we were your age, a positive diagnosis was a death sentence. People were stigmatized and buried without dignity. Today, treatment has changed lives, but new infections, especially among the youth, must alarm us,” she said.
Mutua shared a personal reflection, recalling a close friend lost to the epidemic during the early years of the crisis. She urged the county to prioritize the protection of young people, emphasizing that no child should die from a preventable infection.
“This year alone, Makueni recorded 199 new cases. That should be a wake-up call for all of us,” she added.
The county leadership reaffirmed its commitment to expanding youth–friendly services, scaling up prevention programs, and maintaining access to treatment for all residents living with HIV.
While Makueni has made impressive strides in reducing HIV prevalence, the rising infections among adolescents and young people demand renewed attention, stronger community engagement, and targeted interventions to ensure the county moves closer to its vision of ending AIDS by 2030.
