KENYA – Principal Secretary, Ministry of Health, State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards, Dr Josephine has called for investments that come from the Global Fund to go into areas like community systems where high impact can be achieved in the fight against HIV, TB and malaria.
She said this as she attended the Kenya Coordinating Mechanism (KCM) meeting that kicked off the Global Fund 7th grant cycle funding request application process.
The grant will support HIV, TB, Malaria and community systems interventions from July 2024-June 2027. The PS assured that the Ministry of Health will streamline approval process of work plans, budgets and procurement plans to ensure efficient utilisation of grants for the three programmatic areas.
She appreciated the Global Fund, KCM membership and all stakeholders responsible for Global Fund grants implementation in Kenya for their support in the HIV, TB and Malaria response in Kenya.
“Through this support HIV, TB and Malaria services are provided in all public hospitals at no cost in line with the Afya Bora Mashinani goal,” she said.
The PS noted that Kenya has made remarkable progress in the fight against the three diseases and called for investments in areas like community systems where high impact can be achieved.
Kenya has contributed KES 653,550 (US$5271) and US$11 million to the Global Fund to date. The country pledged US$6 million for the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment, covering 2020-2022.
Kenya is a donor to the Global Fund and an implementer of Global Fund-supported programs.
In September last year, the Government of Kenya pledged US$10 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria at the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment Conference in an unprecedented show of global solidarity.
The Ministry of Health announced that the latest contribution is an increment of 40% from the amount the country pledged during the 6th Replenishment in 2019 towards the end of the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by 2030.
During the Global Fund replenishment, the then Director of Public Health Dr. Francis Kuria noted that Kenya remains one of the main beneficiaries of grants.
He observed that the Global Fund has played a critical role in addressing HIV, TB, and Malaria along with strengthening Community and Health Systems in the country.
He pointed out that the funds have significantly contributed to the decline in the TB prevalence rates by 46%, reduction in the HIV death rates by 67% whilst increasing the number of people living with HIV on the lifesaving antiretroviral treatment to 83%.
The Director of Public Health further said that the allocated financing has contributed to an overall reduction of infant and child mortality due to malaria from 30% in 2010, to 18% in 2021.
In addition, he urged the Global Fund to support Kenya and Sub-Saharan Africa’s quest to establish resilient and sustainable systems for health centred on innovation, research & development and local manufacturing of health commodities.
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