The United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) on Wednesday lauded Kenya for making good progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the country.

The new Country Director of the UNAIDS, Medhin Tsehaiu, urged Kenya to adopt innovative approaches that appeal more to the youth, who are a high-risk population.

“I have to congratulate you for your leadership and commitment in our efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV. We are so grateful for the support the Kenyan First Lady, Margaret Kenyatta, gave when we held talks in Nairobi,’’ Tsehaiu said.

Tsehaiu also commended First Lady Kenyatta for her leading role in the fight against the disease in the country.

Tsehaiu, who was appointed in July said the First Lady through the Beyond Zero Initiative, has contributed significantly to the reduction of new HIV infections, especially the mother-to-child transmission of the virus.

“The country is moving on the right track because of the commitment and good leadership. As we approach the last mile, we need to do things differently and in an innovative way.’’

During the meeting, Kenyatta assured the country director of her firm commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS.

“As always, you can count on my support as regards this noble initiative. The successes achieved in recent years, including the reduction in infections among adults by more than half from 101,000 to 46,000 cases in 2018, should be sustained,’’ Kenyatta said.