Law and Pediatric HIV Testing Realizing the Right to Health in Kenya

• Published in: Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care Vol. 13; no. 4; pp. 379 - 383
• Main Authors: Verani, Andre R., Orago, Alloys S. S., Kariuki, Charles N., Muraguri, Nicholas, Koros, Dan, Marston, Barbara, De Cock, Kevin M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-07-2014
• Subjects: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Health Policy - legislation & jurisprudence; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV Infections - prevention & control; Human Rights - legislation & jurisprudence; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Kenya; Kenya; AIDS; health policy; child health; HIV; legislation
• ISSN: 2325-9574; 2325-9582; 2325-9582
• DOI: 10.1177/2325957412473779

Realization of the right to health occurs along a continuum including national ratification of international treaties such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, passage of domestic laws and policies that may specify modes of implementation and enforcement such as Kenya’s Constitution and HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control Act, and actual implementation of domestic laws and policies such as through the regulation and delivery of health services. The stages heuristic theoretical framework describes the public policy continuum as consisting of marked stages: agenda setting, policy formulation, policy implementation, and evaluation. This case study illustrates the continuum in Kenya with regard to pediatric HIV testing. Kenya has made progress applying law, policy, and science to reduce vertical transmission of HIV and increase HIV testing of infants, although several challenges remain. Progress in policy implementation may reduce mother-to-child transmission and increase pediatric HIV testing.