Nairobi, Kenya, October 2, 2026 — At least 24 HIV-positive sex workers in Kenya have died after losing access to treatment and health services following cuts to US-funded programmes, according to frontline health workers cited by AFP, while health organisations warn that rising HIV infections among sex workers could have wider consequences.
The deaths include Judy, a 36-year-old sex worker in Nairobi who was diagnosed with HIV in 2017. According to her friend Diana, Judy had been managing the condition with support from the Bar Hostess Empowerment and Support Programme (BHESP), which provided her with antiretroviral medication, condoms and, at times, food.
Judy lived in Mathare, one of Nairobi's informal settlements, and could not afford transportation to reach a BHESP clinic herself. After the dismantling of USAID and the loss of funding for the organisation's outreach teams, she was left without the support she had relied on.
Judy stopped taking her medication and her health deteriorated. Diana said Judy developed sores and severe skin problems before her death.
BHESP said Judy was one of three HIV-positive sex workers from Mathare who had died in recent months after stopping treatment. Health workers and sex-worker organisations in other parts of Kenya have reported additional deaths among HIV-positive sex workers who lost access to treatment.
