The UN envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa on Saturday praised the progress Kenya has achieved in the fight against the killer disease.

Stephen Lewis, the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for AIDS Africa, told a news conference in Nairobi that the government 's commitment to fighting the pandemic was clearly evidenced by the reduction of the prevalence rate from 14 percent in 1999 to the current slightly above 6 percent.

"There is evidence progress being made in Kenya against the virus. It is clearly documented by the reduction in prevalence rates," Lewis told reporters in Nairobi.

Speaking after visiting several hospitals in the east African nation, Lewis said he felt "a greater degree of hope and optimism. "

The UN envoy attributed the dramatic drop of prevalence rate to a range of programs such as Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) and initiatives to prevent pregnant HIV-positive mothers from passing the virus along to their babies.

However, the UN envoy said there is an increasing number of AIDS orphans in Kenya, and that not enough was being done to help them and women, who are more vulnerable to contracting the disease.

Health experts say Kenya has now matched the achievement of Uganda -- the country cited as the most effective in the developing world in controlling the spread of AIDS.

Lewis urged the east African government to put in place programs to ensure an efficient and high quality healthcare system that is accessible, equitable and affordable to every Kenyan.

Lewis said Kenya's achievement in generally slowing the epidemic is especially noteworthy in the context of Africa -- home to more than 60 percent of the 40 million people worldwide with HIV. The UN says Sub-Saharan Africa is the hardest-hit region with two-thirds of the world's HIV-infected population.

Source: Xinhua