HIV patients stranded after end of Sh431m EU project

By DENNIS ONYANGO

Nyanza,Kenya:Scores of HIV-infected patients have been left stranded after Sh431 million European Union HIV/Aids project in Nyanza and Nairobi ended.

The programme had benefitted more than 10,000 people, including inmates and children, affected by the disease.

Dubbed Boresha, the four-year programme under MildmayKenya NGO targeted prisoners, health workers and orphans. Ms Beatrice Adoyo, who is serving a 10-year jail term in Kisumu, is among people who are sad that Boresha ended.

“Initially, I was afraid of disclosing my HIV status but since I joined Kisumu Women Prison Support Group, my life changed,” she said.

Through the support group under Boresha, she got training and counselling.  MildmayKenya created a world in which everyone living with HIV could live a fulfilling life.  Domciana Awino, 16, narrated how the programme changed her life for the better.“My father died in 1997 when I was three months old while my mother in 2008 when I was in Standard Four. I stayed with my grandparents who also passed on,” she said. The initiative paid her school fees and provided her with what was necessary to keep her comfortable.

Now, all this is gone as the project was terminated due to financial constraints. The beneficiaries have to find other ways of supporting themselves.

vulnerable groups

Boresha director of programmes Norah Obudho said millions of shillings have been used in the project in the last four years. She said Boresha positively impacted on lives of many people. She urged the Government to continue empowering communities to deliver home-based care services to vulnerable groups.

“The Government should continue supporting beneficiaries as a way of sustaining gains we have made. The vulnerable children should be identified and linked with children’s department for support,” she added.

Meanwhile,        members of Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (Kewopa) have embarked on an initiative to have the Government increase HIV funding. Kewopa said 87 per cent of funds come from donors, which makes the situation unsustainable.

Dr Susan Musyoka, woman representative Machakos County, expressed concern over donor dependency.

“It is time we stopped being beggars. We need more funding from Government and better policies to deal with HIV,” she said during a HIV workshop in Naivasha at the weekend.

–– Additional reporting by Antony Gitonga.