Reportage

UNAIDS’ call to Kenya for sustainable financing for HIV response gets major boost in national budget

18 juin 2010

Kenyan Flag

Kenyan Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta presented the national budget for the 2010-2011 financial year to parliament on 10 June. The budget sees a near doubling of past allocations for HIV treatment, earmarking Ksh. 900 million (US$ 11.25 million) for antiretroviral treatment.

Earlier this year UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé jointly launched the country’s National AIDS Strategic Plan (2010- 2013) with the Prime Minister, Right Honorable Raila Odinga. Mr Sidibé and the Kenyan Government then signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing the two parties to joint actions in several key areas including sustainable financing to support the national HIV response; and virtual elimination of vertical transmission of HIV from mother-to-child. During his visit Mr Sidibé also met with the President, His Excellency Mwai Kibaki as well as key ministers involved in the HIV response.

UNAIDS welcomes the government’s increase in domestic funding towards the national AIDS response.

Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS’ executive director

Mr Sidibé then called on the government of Kenya to earmark Ksh. 1 Billion per year to ensure the continuity of HIV treatment for people in need and to reduce instances of medicine stock-out threats. He also recommended the government counter donor dependency and develop a Cabinet paper on long-term sustainable financing of the national AIDS response including exploring options for increasing domestic resource mobilization such as airtime tax and airline taxes.

“UNAIDS welcomes the government’s increase in domestic funding towards the national AIDS response,” said Mr Sidibé, UNAIDS’ executive director.

In addition, a high-level steering committee has been established by the government to explore sustainable financing and a concept paper on alternative domestic financing scenarios has been developed detailing critical building blocks required to be put in place. The culmination of these efforts will be the development of a cabinet paper which will substantially reduce the country’s dependence on external financing for HIV programmes.