HIV, TB, malaria treatment in Kenya threatened by KSh 11.4B funding reduction
Kenya's Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi presented the estimates in Parliament on Thursday, showing a drop in HIV, TB, and malaria funding from KSh 28.7 billion in the current financial year to KSh 17.3 billion.
This comes after the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) withdrew their financial support earlier this year, leaving Kenya's health sector exposed to severe funding gaps.
In March, the Ministry of Health indicated that KSh 13.54 billion was urgently needed to sustain HIV, TB, and malaria programs for the remainder of the year.
This included KSh 7.68 billion for the procurement of essential medical commodities and KSh 5.8 billion to maintain the employment of 11,059 frontline healthcare workers.
Within the new allocation, the Treasury has included contributions to the Global Fund for HIV, TB, and malaria, alongside KSh 4.6 billion for vaccines and immunization and KSh 500 million for family planning and reproductive health commodities.
Concerns rise amid USAID exit
However, it remains unclear whether these allocations will be sufficient to cover the funding vacuum created by the exit of USAID and PEPFAR.
For years, these donor programs have played a crucial role in supporting Kenya's efforts against HIV and other communicable diseases. Their withdrawal marks a significant setback for ongoing public health interventions.
Geopolitical economist Aly-Khan Satchu described the situation as a major stress test for Kenya's health infrastructure. ' To some degree, there is no HIV or vaccine program without PEPFAR,' he said. ' They are going to have to achieve this now in a shock therapy type moment.'
The announcement has raised alarm among health stakeholders, who have previously appealed to the government to act swiftly in addressing the budget gap. As the new fiscal plan awaits legislative scrutiny, questions are being raised about how Kenya intends to meet its public health commitments without the financial backing it has relied on for years.
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