GlaxoSmithKline intiates a new $1.8 million programme to improve and scale up HIV/AIDS healthcare services at 60 facilities in Kenya. The programme, a collaboration with AMREF (African Medical and Research Foundation), Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric AIDS Foundation and the National Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Kenya (NEPHAK), will advance healthcare delivery and strengthen access to support services in the most deeply affected communities.

“Together we will bring hope and improved treatment to thousands of people affected by HIV and AIDS in Kenya,” said Dr. Jean Pierre Garnier, CEO, GSK, at the AMREF ‘Year of Africa’ event in New York.

This new project focuses on training healthcare professionals and integrating community support and outreach services to combat stigma and discrimination. The model involves placing a range of HIV/AIDS treatment and support services into comprehensive care clinics to help patients avoid the stigma of an HIV clinic. This three-year project, funded by GSK’s positive action community support programme, has the potential to be rolled out across Kenya and other countries, claims a company release.

The programme aims to improve clinical practice by providing training in current clinical and laboratory practices, increase take up of voluntary counselling and testing through community outreach and awareness, increase women’s uptake of prevention of mother to child transmission treatment and paediatric care services support treatment adherence by creating sustainable patient self-help groups.

The programme will be led from AMREF’s Nairobi headquarters and is expected to begin in November.

Fewer than 10% of Kenyan people know their HIV status. Fear of stigmatisation and discrimination is a significant barrier limiting the numbers of people seeking testing, diagnosis and treatment services. Despite increased funding and scale up of healthcare facilities providing HIV therapy, only 1.5 million of the 6 million people estimated to need treatment for HIV/AIDS are receiving available antiretroviral therapy. The majority of these people live in sub-Saharan Africa. Misinformation, cultural barriers and poverty are preventing millions of people from accessing HIV/AIDS prevention and healthcare services.