Latest news with #Barasa
Zawya
26-03-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Kenya: Cabinet Secretary Chairs Strategic Meeting on Advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
Cabinet Secretary for Health, Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa, today chaired a strategic meeting focused on accelerating the implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The meeting addressed key priorities including the strengthening of primary health care, organizing consultative clinics with healthcare service providers, improving the availability of medical commodities, and enhancing monitoring and evaluation systems. Discussions also highlighted the importance of capacity building for human resources for health, continued support for Community Health Promoters, and consistent awareness creation to ensure citizens are informed and empowered to access quality health services. Dr. Barasa reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to delivering accessible, equitable, and effective healthcare for all Kenyans. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.
Zawya
19-03-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Kenya and the United States (U.S.) Strengthen Collaboration on Health Systems and Commodity Security
Cabinet Secretary for Health, Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa, met with a U.S. Congressional Delegation at KEMSA to strengthen Kenya-U.S. collaboration in health systems, commodity procurement, and public health interventions. Dr. Barasa emphasized Kenya's focus on self-reliance in health commodity procurement and local pharmaceutical manufacturing to reduce import dependency and ensure a steady supply of essential medicines. She highlighted government efforts to boost local production, attract private-sector investment, and maintain high-quality standards through robust regulation. The Cabinet Secretary welcomed U.S. support in technology transfer, supply chain strengthening, and expanding market access for Kenyan-made health products. She also stressed the importance of U.S. assistance in capacity building, regulatory reforms, and trade expansion. The meeting reaffirmed Kenya's goal of becoming a regional leader in pharmaceutical production, with Dr. Barasa calling for stronger partnerships to build a sustainable and resilient health sector. KEMSA Board Chair Mr. Samuel Tunai and CEO Dr. Waqo Ejersa also attended, highlighting ongoing reforms to improve medical supply management efficiency. This engagement reinforced the commitment to deepening Kenya-U.S. collaboration for a stronger health system. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.
Zawya
14-03-2025
- Health
- Zawya
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.
Voice of America
07-02-2025
- Health
- Voice of America
African nations prepare for what's to come after pause on US aid
African governments are gearing up for what is to come following the 90-day pause on most U.S.-funded foreign aid as they worry about the potential effects. In Kenya, for instance, Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa said Wednesday in Nairobi that as her country navigates complex challenges, ensuring continuation of essential health services, especially with programs related to HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, is essential. 'For more than 40 years, we've been able to depend on partners. PEPFAR has done a great job in ensuring that HIV patients, TB patients are receiving health services,' she said, referring to the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a program that works with partners in 55 countries worldwide. 'With more than 3.7 million being on HIV medication [in Kenya] … I believe it's critical for us to think of sustainable solutions ... [and] alternative forms of funding,' Barasa said. While the freeze has been modified to allow waivers for 'life-saving humanitarian assistance,' including 'core life-saving medicine,' which may apply to health programs such as PEPFAR, many countries are working to assess the implications of what may amount to an end of U.S. foreign aid. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the waiver is clear: "If it saves lives, if it's emergency lifesaving aid — food, medicine, whatever — they have a waiver. I don't know how much clearer we can be." South Africa, with 7.8 million people with HIV, has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the PEPFAR program the past two decades. Its health minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, told reporters last week in Johannesburg that the country was taken by surprise by the pause in aid and that officials are still trying to decipher the full meaning. This week, Motsoaledi met with U.S. Embassy officials to discuss bilateral health cooperation and the new U.S. policies on assistance. The two sides promised to keep the communications channels open as they discuss lifesaving health partnerships, according to a joint statement after the meeting. Asanda Ngoasheng, a South African political analyst, said countries will be affected one way or the other because many public health systems exist only because of the PEPFAR program. 'Even in the case PEPFAR is not funding 100% of the programs, any money that is removed means that countries simply would not be able to afford programs that they were able to afford with the money that was being supplemented by PEPFAR before,' Ngoasheng said. Programs not related to health are also affected. In Senegal, for example, an infrastructure and development project financed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation, an initiative that was started by Republican U.S. President George W. Bush, could lose funding. The $550 million power project being implemented by Millennium Challenge Account Senegal was designed to improve the country's transmission network and increase electricity access in rural areas and to those on the outskirts of cities in the south and central regions. Mamadou Thior, a journalist and chair of the media watchdog CORED, told VOA: 'The financing coming from the U.S. for this second phase will impact about 12 million people.' Thior referred to a recent speech by Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko that emphasized the need for countries to work on being self-sufficient. "It's high time for Africans and other people to depend on themselves and not from Western aid because this is what can be the drawbacks,' Thior said. 'They will have to depend on national resources to go ahead with the rest of the [electricity] project because there's no way to go backwards,' he said. In Nigeria, a country that received about $1 billion in U.S. foreign aid last year, officials this week launched a committee with members from finance, health and environmental ministries to develop an alternative for some U.S.-funded programs.
