In accordance with the 2005-2010 Kenyan National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan, the Government of Kenya has identified good nutrition as a key component of the national response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This is in keeping with global recognition that good nutrition is essential for the promotion of health and quality of life of all people, particularly people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). There is an important relationship between HIV and nutrition. HIV infection increases nutrient requirements, and at the same time impairs nutrient intake and uptake. In turn, poor nutrition increases the risk of opportunistic infections and accelerates the progression of HIV to AIDS. Malnutrition and HIV/AIDS are synergistic and create a vicious cycle that additively weakens the immune system. HIV and AIDS pose a major threat to food security and nutrition, diminishing the availability of food and reducing household’s ability to purchase food. Household members who are ill cannot effectively contribute to household income and labour, often require care and support from other members of the household and incur medical expenses that further deplete income. Therefore, HIV/AIDS impacts on a household’s economic potential and retards the social economic development of the community, jeopardizing community advancement. Nutrition in HIV management is housed within the National Aids and STI Control Program (NASCOP). The program provides technical assistance to strengthen nutritional care and support for PLHIV and improve food assistance and food security programming in the context of HIV. The program produces and disseminates program guidance on nutritional care and support interventions, the nutrient requirements of PLHIV, and food and nutrition implications of antiretroviral therapy. Additional information on nutrition in HIV management can be found at http://nascop.or.ke.

TB can lead to malnutrition while under-nutrition increases the risk of TB infection. Under-nutrition is highly prevalent among people with TB, it has been demonstrated that under-nutrition is a risk factor for progression from TB to active TB disease and that under-nutrition at the time of diagnosis of active TB is a predictor of increased risk of TB and TB relapse.  Nutrition in TB management is housed within the National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Program (NLTP). Additional information on nutrition in TB management can be found at http://www.nltp.co.ke.