It is an honor to be here this morning. Today we launch the USAID Afya Jijini Program to strengthen Nairobi City County’s health system and improve the well-being of the people living in this city.

For many years, through support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and other USAID global health initiatives, we have collaborated with the Government of Kenya to save and improve lives in Nairobi. The results of our partnership can be seen throughout the county. Recent health data reaffirm the gains we have made together in the health sector. The 2014 Demographic and Health Survey (or DHS) revealed that Nairobi is leading the way in nearly all HIV and maternal and child health indicators compared to the national average. Afya Jijini will build on these achievements and the lessons learned from its predecessor, APHIAplus.

In health, as well as in other sectors, Kenya is lauded as a center of excellence in the East Africa region, with Nairobi at its epicenter. And yet, particularly in sprawling urban informal settlements, there are still Nairobians who do not have access to basic health care, safe drinking water or adequate sanitation. There are still people living with HIV who have not accessed testing services or treatment; there are children who have not been fully vaccinated; and there are people who suffer from gender-based violence and sexual assault. The 2014 DHS confirmed that we are on the right path, but it also pointed out the persistant inequities in health faced by individual Kenyans because of their income, their education or where they live. This dichotomy is perhaps nowhere more apparent than in Nairobi.

That is why we have come to this hospital today to have a constructive dialogue about the health challenges that people in the city face, including sub-standard health systems, a high prevalence of HIV, and need to end preventable maternal and child deaths. And we will learn about the state-of-the-art approaches that Afya Jijini, together with the county government, will be implementing in response to those challenges.

I look forward to seeing the outcomes of these investments in Nairobi City County over the coming years, including several interventions the team will present today. These critical, lifesaving interventions include comprehensive obstetric and neonatal care; new policies such as test and start for HIV; and ensuring that adolescent girls and young women are Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Motivated and Safe through PEPFAR’s DREAMS initiative.

As USAID/Kenya and East Africa’s Deputy Mission Director for Technical Programs and Planning, I am keenly interested in the development challenges faced here in Nairobi. This is a pivotal time for the country, and Nairobi is a pivotal place for advancement. Afya Jijini has an important role to play in supporting local health structures that are continuously responsive to the complex population and development dynamics of Nairobi. I am confident that this event will serve as an impetus for us to unify the county around ensuring that EVERY Kenyan in Nairobi benefits from the progress we have made over the years.

I appreciate Nairobi City County officials for your spirit of partnership and dedication to your people. I applaud Mama Lucy Kibaki Referral Hospital and other facilities around the city that tirelessly tend to patients day in and day out. I thank Pathfinder and the APHIAplus Nairobi Coast team for your exemplary work over the last five years, and for sharing your knowledge and networks with the Afya Jijini team and their partners. I wish you all fruitful discussions today, and I look forward to working together in the coming years for the health of Nairobi’s residents.

Thank you.