LVCT Health has been lauded for the great impact it has had in Homa Bay County since 2016 when the project was started. Many young and vulnerable people who were disillusioned, less empowered and at risk of HIV infection are now hopeful for a better tomorrow thanks to LVCT Health through the DREAMS program that has played a pivotal role in empowering Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW).
Speaking during the Homa Bay County STEPS project Closeout meeting, Prof Richard Muga, Homa Bay County Executive Committee Member for Health called for a strengthened partnership between LVCT Health and Homa Bay County Government towards achieving self-reliance and sustainability of the various interventions being implemented by LVCT Health.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Dr. Ottoman, Homa Bay County Director for Health who added that other than reducing cases of teenage pregnancies in the areas where LVCT Health implements DREAMS program, the beneficiaries have been given a holistic approach to their healthcare.
Dr. Phillip Masaulo, STEPS project Director thanked the County Government of Homa Bay for the continued support and assured of strengthened partnership in the new grant.
A similar activity was conducted in Migori County bringing together LVCT Health Senior Management Team, Migori County Health Management Team, other implementing partners, officials from Beach Management Units as well as the incoming partner CIHEB-Kenya.
Gracing the occasion, Samson Ngariba the Migori County Executive Committee Member for Education thanked LVCT Health for the five years it has implemented STEPS in the County. He noted that the impact that has been created goes beyond what can be imagined. He urged the incoming partner to follow in the footprints of LVCT Health so that the strides that have been made do not go in vain.
He pointed out that the novel coronavirus has greatly disrupted some gains that had been made in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He called for strengthened partnership in the fight against COVID-19 by creating awareness as well as providing commodities in containment of the virus. He emphasized that this was the only way to sustain the gains that have been made towards realizing the vision of empowered healthy communities.
In conclusion, he called upon LVCT Health to plan for the next phase of implementation and apply available resources towards attaining the goals of the county government, especially towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as one of the main development agenda of the national government.
His sentiments were echoed by Daniel Oneya, Migori County CASCO, who thanked LVCT Health for the partnership they have had with the Ministry of Health in ensuring that there are no new HIV infections in Migori County and its environs.
The incoming partner CIHEB-Kenya assured of a seamless transition to ensure that service provision is not interrupted.
LVCT Health has for the last five years been implementing the STEPS project in Kisumu, Kisii, Migori and Homa Bay counties in the Western part of Kenya. The project aimed to reach the most vulnerable population with HIV prevention services and encourage those at risk to live a healthy life and was made possible through funding from The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through CDC Kenya.