Ngilu targets 140,000 for Aids drugs

January 5, 2006

By Allan Kisia

About 140,000 Kenyans living with HIV/Aids will be put on anti-

retroviral treatment (ARV) by the end of the year.

Health minister Charity Ngilu said the Government hopes to surpass

the target of at least 100,000 patients on ARV by December.

" We have the drugs, the resources and we are committed to achieving

this target, " she said at a press conference in her office on

Thursday.

By the end of last year, about 60,000 patients were on ARVs out of a

target of 95,000. Ngilu said it was a remarkable achievement, given

that there were only 3,000 people on ARVs in 2003. The achievement

represents a 2,000 per cent increase.

The number of children on treatment between June and December last

year increased from 1,200 to 4,000.

She said the major challenges last year were lack of trained health

workers and lack of laboratory equipments.

Present were the Director of Medical Services, Dr Nyikal, and

the PS, Dr Hezron Nyangito.

Ngilu said the ministry had approved an additional Sh65 million from

its budget to purchase drugs to supplement additional drugs worth

Sh800 million to be delivered by June.

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