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The fight against HIV Aids and Malaria in Kenya has received a major boost of Sh35 billion from the Global Fund.
Sh24 billion will be used in the fight against HIV Aids and TB while Sh11 billion will be used in addressing rising malaria cases.
This comes a few months after some donors expressed their plans to stop funding various programs in the country but the latest move will ensure HIV and TB interventions go on as planned.
According to the Health Principal Secretary Dr. Khadija Kasachoon, the funds have already been availed to the country and the ministry is planning on rolling out the program to all the counties.
She said that under the Kenya Coordination Mechanism (KSM) on Global Fund, a new financing model had been approved after consultations with stakeholders in the health sector.
"The country has already received from the Global Fund Sh24b towards supporting the fight against HIV Aids and extra Sh11b towards reducing malaria cases," she said.
The PS said under the new model, key stakeholders had to be involved where a concept note was developed and assessed before it passed the eligibility stage.
"This is a shift from the past where funds would be availed to government without consulting anyone and we will continue in this framework to make sure that HIV cases are reduced drastically," she said.
Kasachoon was speaking to the press after opening a two day workshop for Kenya coordination mechanism on global fund members at Sopa Lodge in Naivasha.
She said that KCM was working on national proposals to allow a comprehensive participation in order to execute the mandate of the funds with no delay.
"These funds which have come at the right time will go a long way in making sure that the fight against TB and HIV war is won," she said.
She at the same time hit out at the Counties over delaying salaries for doctors saying the national government had done all it was required and the money sent to counties.
The PS said all the funds had been disbursed on time and asked governors to stop blaming the national treasury and instead put proper mechanisms to ensure that the monies get to health workers on time.
"The national government has disbursed the funds to the counties and the counties treasuries should be held responsible for the current impasse," she said.
According to her, other funds such as those provided by the World Bank and Danida had also been sent to counties.
"Even the money for free maternity and those of clinics and dispensaries have also been given out to all the counties," she said.
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