Curb rise in HIV cases

The increasing HIV infections are bound to get worse following American President Donald Trump’s decision to halt foreign aid. His clampdown on the United States Agency for International Development (USAid) could spell doom for the anti-HIV/Aids campaign, which has been receiving substantial US government funding.

It is feared that President Trump’s aid freeze might fuel new HIV cases in the country. His executive order halting support through USAid is likely to leave an annual funding deficit of about Sh30.9 billion in the health sector. The US has, in fact, started issuing notices for the termination of contracts and grants to the NGOs whose programmes it funds.

This has alarmed the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors, the key beneficiaries of the US donor assistance for programmes in all the 47 counties. The provision of health products and technologies for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria will be the most highly affected by the new funding crisis. Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa says this might result in about 60,000 new HIV infections by 2030.

With 1.3 million Kenyans living with HIV, the country has the seventh largest disease burden in the world. However, there has been some laudable progress in ensuring that 95 per cent of the people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of them are on anti-retroviral therapy and 95 per cent of those on drugs have achieved viral suppression. This is what is summarised as the 95-95-95. Last year saw a remarkable 96-98-97 achievement, but there is room for improvement.

For tuberculosis, the Health ministry projects 23,000 deaths annually, most of them of people living with HIV. The funding cuts may just worsen the situation.

Efforts by the authorities, public and private organisations and individuals must be stepped up to build local capacity and reduce reliance on donors, especially in health and other key sectors.