Linking SRH and HIV at policy and system levels: Experiences from Kenya and Lesotho

Rose N. Oronje, African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP)
Latifat D. G. Ibisomi, University of the Witwatersrand
Violet Murunga, African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP)
Eliya M. Zulu, African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP)

The need to link and integrate HIV/AIDS and SRH responses is widely recognized as critical to ensuring universal access to SRH and HIV services. The study used the Rapid Assessment tool for SRH and HIV integration to assess the status of SRH and HIV linkages and integration at policy and systems levels in Kenya and Lesotho to determine gaps and opportunities for operationalizing the strong synergistic relationships between SRH and HIV. The two countries were found to be at different levels of linking SRH and HIV at policy level, but faced similar challenges in linking/integrating at the systems level. Kenya had an integration strategy but lacked service guidelines to implement the strategy. Lesotho did not have a national integration policy/strategy, rather integration commitments were fragmented in different SRH and HIV policy/strategy documents. It also lacked clear leadership on integration. Even then, some levels of integration were occuring in both countries.