Ministry of Health Flags Off Critical Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Commodities at Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS)
Cabinet Secretary for Health, Dr. Deborah Mulongo Barasa, today flagged off a consignment of essential HIV commodities at the Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS) to ensure uninterrupted care for People Living with HIV (PLHIV) across the country.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Barasa reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to sustaining the HIV response, despite global funding challenges. Accompanied by Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Ms. Mary Muthoni, and KEMSA CEO, she emphasized the government's steadfast dedication to ensuring patients have continued access to life-saving HIV treatment and testing commodities.
Kenya has made remarkable strides in the fight against HIV, achieving 98:98:94 progress toward the UNAIDS 95:95:95 targets. The coordination between KEMSA, MEDS, the Ministry of Health, and county governments has played a critical role in maintaining a robust supply chain for HIV care.
The flagged-off consignment includes: Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs such as Tenofovir/Lamivudine/Dolutegravir (TLD) and pediatric formulations; HIV testing kits supporting the country's 3-Test Algorithm; Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) and Viral Load testing reagents for timely diagnosis and treatment monitoring and Male condoms to support HIV prevention efforts.
Dr. Barasa highlighted the Ministry's focus on strengthening local pharmaceutical manufacturing, integrating HIV care into universal health coverage, and leveraging digital platforms to enhance efficiency in commodity distribution. This milestone underscores Kenya's commitment to an HIV-free future, ensuring no patient is left behind.
The flagged-off supplies will be distributed across health facilities nationwide, securing access to essential treatment and care.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
a day ago
- Al Etihad
My award is a tribute to all nurses, says Ghanaian nurse who won Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award
29 May 2025 12:49 A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)Naomi Oyoe Ohene Oti, the Ghanaian nurse who recently won the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2025, said the honour she received in Dubai was not just a personal milestone, but a tribute to the unseen heroes of healthcare systems in Ghana, across Africa, and the wider an interview with Aletihad, Naomi said: 'I am deeply emotional and really humbled to receive the award from the hands of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE's Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence.'A specialist in oncology nursing, Naomi heads the National Radiotherapy Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Centre at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra. She has been instrumental in transforming patient care and spearheading specialist nurse training across Ghana. Notably, she helped launch the country's postgraduate oncology nursing curriculum in 2015, which has since produced over 60 oncology nurse specialists and 10 breast care influence extends across Africa. Naomi serves on the education and training committee of the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), co-leads initiatives with the ISNCC, and is a co-investigator on the Global Bridges Oncology GM Grant. As a global faculty member of ASCO's Multidisciplinary Cancer Management Courses, she represents African nursing voices in international forums and has mentored more than 48 nurses from across the continent. Her work has earned her several honours, including Ghana's Ministry of Health Excellence Award and the Dr Dorcia Kisseh International from over 100,000 applicants from 199 countries, Naomi was honoured with a $250,000 cash prize as part of the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award, which was launched by Aster DM Healthcare in 2021 to recognise outstanding contributions by nurses in fields such as leadership, innovation, research, and community on her field, Naomi said cancer care demands a more comprehensive and empathetic approach than general nursing. 'You have got to be more knowledgeable. You should know physical, psychological and emotional needs of the patient. As you get to know more of the biology of the disease, you become dexterous in caring for the patients,' she who has seen many a patient in her long cancer care career, is known to be a champion of equity in cancer care. What does equity in cancer care mean? She says it means accessibility and affordability. 'Any person who has cancer should be able to have access to the required treatment and be able to afford them,' she said, adding equity also means health workers should be equipped with the right skills needed to care for the COVID-19 pandemic, Naomi led the development of a telemedicine initiative to reduce hospital visits and protect vulnerable patients. 'Only when cancer patients had to do chemo were they asked to head to the labs straight without having to go through the regular physical assessment from nurses and doctors,' she said. Symptom management was handled remotely via phone and WhatsApp. Though a few nurses succumbed to the virus, she said the government offered critical support and ensured the supply of protective also expressed interest in exploring the UAE's healthcare system firsthand. 'From everything I have read and heard, hospitals here are equipped with state-of-the-art technology,' she asked about her plans for Ghana, the award-winning nurse said that not only Ghana but Africa should stand tall when it comes to the competencies of nurses. 'We have plans for harmonising standards for nursing training in Africa. We want African nurses to be on par with their Western counterparts. They should be equipped with the same skill sets so they can give the same type of care.' 'Nurses, who constitute the majority of the workforce, should have a seat at the decision-making table,' she said. 'They should be part of the leadership teams in the healthcare sector so they can give their inputs for policymaking.'
Al Etihad
19-05-2025
- Al Etihad
UAE strongly condemns targeting of Hamad Prosthetics Hospital in Gaza Strip
20 May 2025 00:59 ABU DHABI (WAM)The United Arab Emirates has condemned in the strongest terms the Israeli airstrikes on the Hamad Prosthetics Hospital in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the death and injury of a number of innocent people. The UAE denounced the attack as a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, and warned against the ongoing Israeli aggression and military escalation which threaten to cause further loss of life and exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe in the a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) reaffirmed the UAE's categorical rejection of the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of protecting medical facilities, institutions and healthcare workers, and ensuring that they are not targeted during Ministry stressed that the immediate priority is to safeguard civilian lives, and ensure the immediate, safe, sustainable, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian relief and medical aid to the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, the Ministry called on the international community to intensify all regional and international efforts to find a serious political horizon that achieves comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, that fulfils the aspirations of the brotherly Palestinian people to establish an independent, sovereign Palestinian state, in accordance with relevant resolutions of international legitimacy.
Gulf Business
07-05-2025
- Gulf Business
Major workforce shift: Saudi Arabia plans new test for employees
Image credit: Getty Images The Read- The ministry has published the National Regulations for Occupational Fitness Tests on the Istitlaa Public Survey platform to gather feedback from the public and stakeholders before enforcing the regulations. Types of tests There will be three types of tests for employees: general medical testing, specialised additional testing, and psychological testing. These tests aim to monitor individual health and promote occupational well-being through pre-employment and periodic employee evaluations. The initiative seeks to reduce work-related accidents and diseases and improve workplace environments in Saudi Arabia. Framework for health assessment The regulations are designed to establish a comprehensive framework for assessing employees' physical and psychological fitness, ensuring they can perform their duties safely and effectively. The testing framework aligns with national standards and international best practices. It aims to reduce occupational injuries and diseases, enhance worker fitness, and ensure job performance safety. Who the regulations apply to The regulations apply to all employees in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. This includes: New hires before appointment Current employees under specific conditions, including: After an occupational injury Upon return from extended medical leave When there are doubts about the employee's ability to perform duties When the job requires periodic medical examinations When an employee changes roles or professions If the work environment changes When new equipment or machinery is introduced Upon retirement, if the worker was exposed to hazardous substances such as asbestos These regulations do not apply to medical examinations unrelated to job duties. Pre-employment medical examinations The regulations outline procedures for medical examinations for those in high-risk roles, standardise examination forms, and define periodic and exceptional examinations suitable for each profession. They also provide a comprehensive health database for all workers and promote compliance with local and international occupational safety standards. Who conducts the medical examinations? Occupational fitness assessments must be carried out by a specialized team, supervised by a certified occupational medicine specialist accredited by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties and registered with the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health. Employment categories after medical testing Following the pre-employment examination, candidates will be classified as: Medically fit and permitted to practice the job Medically fit with restrictions or considerations, including time limitations Medically unfit, with restrictions or considerations, including time limitations If a worker fails to meet fitness requirements in a periodic test, they will be prohibited from continuing in their current role, and management must take steps to reassign them. Objection to test results Employees have the right to object to test results within 30 days of notification. An independent review committee comprising specialists in occupational medicine and related fields will issue a decision within 15 days of receiving the objection.
