As Kenya works to sustain progress in vertical transmission prevention (VTP), recent Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) technical assistance visits highlighted gaps in service integration, data use, and county-level capacity that require coordinated follow-up and planning.
Building on findings from CQI assessment visits to 15 counties in May and June 2025, Kenya convened national and county stakeholders in Machakos County in January 2026 for a VTP CQI Learning Forum. The meeting brought together national and county teams to review progress, examine gaps identified during technical assistance site visits, and identify practical steps to sustain VTP services as program and funding contexts evolve.
At the request of Kenya’s VTP Unit, the HIVE Impact Network was invited to participate in the forum to provide technical assistance and support the review and planning process. Lulu Ndapatani, regional clinical advisor, participated in the forum, building on her engagement during 2025 site visits to Kilifi and Mombasa counties.
“The CQI visits helped surface where counties are experiencing pressure in sustaining VTP services,” said Ndapatani. “I participated in the Kilifi and Mombasa County visits last year, and this year’s forum created space to collectively review those findings and plan next steps. HIVE’s role is to support that review and help connect site-level insights with county and national planning.”
The four-day forum brought together leadership from Kenya’s Ministry of Health, including the National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NASCOP), alongside county VTP teams and implementing partners. Discussions focused on county performance data and gaps identified during facility and county reviews.
Findings shared during the forum highlighted gaps in the follow-up of pregnant and breastfeeding women, with counties reporting challenges in tracking clients across antenatal, delivery, and postnatal services. Participants also noted variation in antenatal care coverage across counties, differences in private-sector engagement, and weaknesses in community-level tracking systems, which affect how consistently pregnant women can be reached with VTP services. These gaps informed discussions on strengthening follow-up systems for mothers and improving routine data use to monitor VTP services.
Participants also discussed priorities related to HIV prevention for pregnant and breastfeeding women, including preparation for the phased introduction of long-acting prevention options and strengthening the delivery of PrEP services in Kenya.
“This meeting allowed us to review gaps identified through CQI and focus on what counties need to sustain VTP services going forward, including preparation for new prevention options and targeted technical support where gaps remain,” said Nelly Pato, Kenya’s VTP Lead.
The forum concluded with national and county teams aligning practical steps to strengthen VTP services across counties and address service delivery gaps identified during the CQI visits. Through participation in the forum, HIVE will continue to engage and support country-led efforts to share lessons across counties and strengthen the implementation of prevention and treatment services for pregnant and breastfeeding women and their children.
