Kenya gets Sh41.5b shot in arm to fight killer diseases

Kenya has received Sh41.5 billion from the Global Fund to help fight tuberculosis, HIV and Aids, and malaria over the next three years.

The allocation, covering 2020-2022, is the highest ever for Kenya, and is part of a more than Sh1.2 trillion kitty by the Global Fund, which is meant for low-income countries bearing the highest disease burden. 

It is 23 per cent higher than the allocation for the previous three years.

“World leaders came together at our replenishment and made commitments to step up the fight to end these epidemics by 2030,” said Global Fund Executive Director Peter Sands.

“Now the real work begins. Our allocations will allow partners to expand programmes that work, and to find innovative solutions for new challenges. In addition to more money, we need better collaboration and more effective programmes.”

Kenya has been both a donor and an implementing partner to the Global Fund since its inception and has contributed more than Sh700 million to the kitty. In the 2020-2022 funding cycle, Kenya has pledged to donate Sh600 million, the highest since 2001. 

“Most eligible countries have increased allocations, and every region is getting more funding overall,” said Global Fund in a statement.

“The funds will help save 16 million lives, cut the mortality rate for the three diseases in half and get the world back on track to end the epidemics of Aids, tuberculosis and malaria by 2030.” 

Allocations to individual countries are calculated using a formula that is predominantly based on each country’s disease burden and economic capacity.

According to recent data from UNAids, Kenya has recorded a 50 per cent reduction in Aids-related deaths since 2010.