ARV medication/FILE
The National Syndetic Diseases Control Council has assured Kenyans that the country has enough anti-retroviral and Tuberculosis drugs amid fears over USAID funding freeze.
The announcement comes amid fears among the users of the critical medicines whose supplies have been funded by the US government since the year 2003 at the height of HIV/AIDs pandemic.
The freeze, announced by President Donald Trump, would see Kenya lose more than Sh25 billion yearly towards the health sector-driven programmes affecting more than 41,500 healthcare workers. However, the council CEO Dr Laibon Masha said there is no cause for alarm since there are enough supplies of the medicines.
Masha said the government would address the funding gap for the more than 1.3 million people living with HIV/AIDs. The drugs would be supplied to local health facilities and clinics.
Speaking during an engagement with county executive members for health in Naivasha, he called for localised interventions to ensure all critical services in the fight against HIV/AIDs are not affected.
The CEO tasked the counties to formulate supporting interventions and measures to address the funding deficit, including that of more than 11,000 frontline health workers affected at the county levels.
He also called on the US to reinstate funding to help win the fight against HIV/AIDs and TB.
“The Kenyan government must seize this imminent US funding freeze to reorganize its operations and budget and plug in Sh25 billion funding gap moving forward,” Masha added.
Currently, 98 per cent of people living with HIV/ AIDs are aware of their statuses and are on treatment, while 94 per cent have achieved viral suppression.
