Populations we Serve

Populations we Serve

Our work ensures the communities we serve live healthy and empowered lives

We give special attention to those with the greatest vulnerability to HIV/TB infection and or with special service needs. These include, for instance, Adolescents and Young People (AYP), Adolescents, Girls, and Young Women (AGYW), Survivors of Sexual and Gender Violence (SGBV), Persons With Disability (PWD), Female Sex Workers (FSWs), People who Inject Drugs (PWID), Men who have sex With Men (MSM), Prisoners and fishing communities.

Adolescents & young people particularly girls and young women

Half of all new HIV infections in Kenya occur among adolescents and young people. Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) account for one in every three new infections. HIV among AGYW is driven by gender based violence, poverty, low education among others.

To address HIV among adolescents and young people we provide:  Information on HIV, sexual and reproductive health and gender based violence (GBV) through one2one online integrated digital platform and using peer mentors in schools and community settings. 

  • Comprehensive HIV services; HIV testing and counselling, evidence based prevention interventions and HIV care and treatment. We aim to make this youth friendly by involving youth in design and implementation. 
  • We provide SRH services; family planning, cervical cancer screening, STI screening and treatment, pregnancy screening and referral for Ante Natal Clinics (ANC) alongside our services.

Through the PEPFAR DREAMS programme we address structural interventions for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), economic empowerment, cash transfers and education subsidies to minimize their vulnerability.

The one2one™ digital  ecosystem* in Kenya aims to provide individuals with access to digital health services and information through a variety of channels, including a toll-free Hotline (1190), Bulk SMS, social media, a Website, WhatsApp, YouTube, a Podcast, 2 Chatbots, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), and blogs. This comprehensive approach allows for easy access and increased reach to various individuals. The Stepped Care Model (SCM) is an integral part of the one2one™ ecosystem, which is an evidence-based, staged system, comprising a hierarchy of interventions, from the least to the most intensive, matched to the individual’s needs. The SCM is designed to stimulate individuals’ self-reliance while utilizing professionals’ insufficient capacity for complex requests for help. A particular step in the model addresses each specific need or problem of the target group. This framework helps to coordinate online and offline services, ensuring that the right service is provided to the right person at the right place and at the right time. The one2one™ digital ecosystem and the SCM together provide a comprehensive and efficient solution to support individuals with specific needs or problems related to HIV, sexual and reproductive health, adolescent health, and the needs of key populations in Kenya.

Fishing communities

Men and women living in fishing communities across the world have been found to be between five and ten times more vulnerable to HIV than other communities. Inconsistent condom use, transactional sex and multiple sexual partnerships contribute to the high HIV burden among fishing communities. It is estimated that 24-30% of this population are living with HIV and the HIV prevalence is 4 times higher than the national average estimated at 5.6%.

To address HIV among the fishing communities we provide:

  • Risk assessment and risk reduction counselling 
  • Peer education and promotion of adaptation of safer sexual behaviours.
  • Information and provision of Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP).
  • HIV testing services -health education -knowledge of HIV status
  • STI screening and treatment, use of male and female condoms and lubricants
  • HIV care and treatment.
  • Referral for Voluntary Male Medical Circumcision (VMMC).
  • TB screening and treatment.
  • Entrepreneurship and income supplementation.
  • Prevention and mitigation of Gender-Based Violence services (GBV).
  • Stakeholders’ engagement and mobilization for community level
Drug Abuse With People Sharing The Same Syringe

People who use and Inject Drugs

Use of alcohol and other recreational drugs has been shown to reduce judgement and increase sexual risk behaviour. Among the People Who Inject Drugs (PWID), HIV risk is markedly elevated when needles are shared. It is estimated that while less than 1 in 1000 (0.001%) Kenyans inject drugs, 4 of 100 (4%) new infections occur among this group. This population is among the Key Populations that we serve.

To address HIV among people who inject drugs we provide:

  • Knowledge and skills in HIV prevention
  • Change attitudes and motivate individuals to adopt healthier behavior
  • Risk assessment, risk reduction counselling and skills building
  • Distribution and collection of needles and syringes
  • Preparation and linkage of clients to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
  • Nutrition support to MAT clients
  • Outreach and advocacy at dens
  • STI screening and treatment
  • HIV Prevention services
  • HIV Testing and Counselling services
  • HIV Care and treatment
  • Gender Based Violence Screening
  • TB screening and treatment
  • Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)
  • Sexual and reproductive health services
  • Cervical cancer screening
  • Anti-retroviral therapy (ART)
  • Pre-exposure Prophylaxis – PrEP

People living with HIV

It is estimated that there are over 1.6 million people living with HIV in Kenya. Kenya’s Ministry of Health has set guidelines that state that all people living with HIV should be identified, initiated on treatment and provided with continuous care and support to prevent further morbidity and mortality. By September 2017, close to 1.1 million had been identified and initiated on antiretroviral treatment. Furthermore, there are an estimated 260,000 couples in HIV sero-discordant relationships (one partner is HIV positive while the other is positive). HIV sero-discordant relationships also contribute significantly to new infections.

  • Increase demand for and access to quality HIV treatment and prevention services
  • Increase use of quality Family Planning, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition services (FP/RMNCAH) – Kwale County
  • Support key populations—including men who have sex with men, prison settings , female sex workers, and transgender women—to exercise their rights and receive quality services free from stigma, discrimination, or judgement.
  • Integrate HIV services with other sexual and reproductive health interventions, recognizing the opportunity to meet people’s needs where they are
  • Strengthen capacity of county health systems, local partners and communities to deliver quality health services.

Survivors of Gender Based Violence

There is evidence that violence against women and men is an indirect factor for increased HIV risk. It is a barrier to uptake of HIV services and poor treatment adherence and response, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where the epidemics overlap. Sexual violence is a known direct risk factor for HIV transmission both in children and adults.

  • Violence Against Women – intimate partner violence prevention and response programs within the community and at facility level
  • Post rape care services to all sexual violence survivors.
  • Violence prevention and response services to the Key Populations including Men who have sex with Men, Female Sex Workers and People who use and Inject Drugs
  • We provide prevention and response services to survivors of violence.
  • Generate local evidence on GBV prevention and response through operational research and evaluation of innovative models.
  • Provide technical assistance to the Government and partners for the development and institutionalisation of policies and standards for delivery of GBV services
  • Facilitate scale up of comprehensive GBV services at LVCT Health sites and Public Focusing on four main areas of GBV, we aim to address the HIV and Gender Based Violence (GBV) dual pandemic.
Disabled african man sitting on the wheelchair

Persons With Disability

According to WHO, over one billion people globally experience disabilities. This translates to 1 in 7 people worldwide. Persons with disability (PWD) have the same health care needs as others. PWD are twice more likely to find health facilities and health care providers’ skills inadequate. Although the relationship between HIV and disability has not received due attention, PWDs are among people at high risk of exposure to HIV. There is an assumption that Persons with Disability may not be sexually active, or do not engage in other risky behaviours such as injecting drugs. At LVCT Health, we provide a comprehensive range of HIV, Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services for the deaf using Kenyan Sign Language and for the Visually Impaired Persons (VIPs) using Braille and typing services, among others. In 2012 LVCT Health pioneered the first national Disability Sensitisation Conference in partnership with the Ministry of Health – MoH, National AIDS Control Council – NACC, NASCOP and Centres for Disease Control – CDC, national Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs) and other stakeholders.

Over time, we have sensitized service providers on the health needs of the deaf and blind to address their HIV, GBV, SRH concerns:

  • To ensure accessibility and ease in communication for PWDs for the deaf clients; we have deaf and hearing service providers who are trained in sign language
  • We provide Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials with sign language, writing and typing services
  • We provide IEC materials in braille for the visually impaired

In addition to provision of these services, LVCT Health partners with the Ministry of Health and works with DPOs to strengthen their organisational systems:

  • To create demand for increased service uptake
  • To undertake income generating activities (IGAs) for improved livelihoods and sustainability
  • To undertake advocacy activities to increase access to health services that meet their needs
  • Policy engagement and advocacy and meaningful engagement of their members
  • Sensitization on Leadership and management