The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, in partnership with the Kenyan government and other health organizations, has announced the implementation of six new grants totalling US$407 million. These grants, set to be disbursed over the 2024-2026 period, aim to sustain and accelerate Kenya’s progress in combating AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria.
The National Treasury, alongside civil society partners AMREF Health Africa and the Kenya Red Cross Society, will manage the grants. These funds are a crucial element of Kenya's strategy to achieve universal health coverage (UHC). For HIV and AIDS, the grants focus on reducing new infections by 75%, cutting AIDS-related deaths by 50%, and lowering mother-to-child transmission rates to below 5%. The TB goals include an 80% reduction in incidence and a 90% decrease in mortality by 2030, relative to 2015 levels. For malaria, the aim is to reduce incidence and deaths by 75% by 2027.
Additionally, US$66 million from the COVID-19 Response Mechanism will bolster health systems and pandemic preparedness from 2024 to 2025. This funding has mitigated the pandemic's impact on HIV, TB, and malaria services and strengthened key health system components, including disease surveillance, laboratories, diagnostics, medical oxygen facilities, human resources, community systems, and health product and waste management.
The grants' launch was held at the National Medical Supply Chain Center under the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), attended by representatives from Kenya's Ministry of Health, the National Treasury, and international partners, including France, Italy, and the United States. Civil society representatives, members of the Kenya Country Coordinating Mechanism, and Global Fund officials were also present. The new warehouse is expected to enhance primary health care service delivery, contributing directly to UHC and improving Kenya’s ability to respond to pandemics and climate-related emergencies.
Kenya has also committed an additional US$593 million to strengthen domestic health financing, complementing the Global Fund's investment and underscoring the country's commitment to UHC. Over the past decade, Kenya has made significant progress in fighting these diseases. By 2023, the country reached 94-94-89 of the 95-95-95 HIV targets, with nearly 1.4 million people on antiretroviral therapy. TB incidence was reduced by 11% between 2018 and 2020, with treatment success rates improving significantly. Malaria prevalence decreased from 8.2% in 2015 to 6% in 2023, with nearly 56 million long-lasting insecticidal nets distributed since 2014. In addition to being a beneficiary, Kenya is also a donor to the Global Fund, increasing its pledge from US$6 million to US$10 million during the Global Fund's Seventh Replenishment in 2022.
Article by Jed Mwangi
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