Ads patients at risk over threat to Sh7bn

[Guest guest]

Aids patients at risk over threat to Sh7bn

Story by MIKE MWANIKI

Publication Date: 03/30/2006

Mrs Ngilu

The lives of close to 2.5 million seriously ill patients are at risk

because the Government has failed to account for millions of shillings

given to curb the spread of three diseases.

Now the Government has been given only 48 hours – until Friday – to

account to a United Nations offshoot how it spent the Sh720 million it

was given to fight HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis.

The money was part of Sh9.6 billion offered by the Global Fund to

prevent the spread of the killer diseases, as well as trying to manage

their treatment.

Turf wars between the Treasury and Health ministry and various

charities and pressure groups have been blamed for the failure to

distribute and account for the cash.

Now, because the Government has so far failed to explain how it spent

the cash, Sh7 billion mainly targeting malaria and TB has been put on

hold, endangering the lives of patients.

And in addition, attempts to increase the number of people receiving

antiretroviral treatment (ARVs) is likely to stagnate at only 70,000

people instead of the 200,000 people supposed to be receiving help.

There an an estimated 2.5 million people in Kenya who are HIV positive

and would benefit from treatment with ARVs.

The suspension of funding also puts at risk programmes to cut deaths

from malaria from 34,000 a year; which works out at 90 people – mainly

children aged under five – each day.

Also at risk is the growing number of people suffering from TB:

currently 200,000 of whom 74,000 a year or 202 a day, are dying from

lack of treatment.

Charities trying to fight the big three diseases have issued a warning

that unless the Government acts soon, they will be unable to expand

their treatment and prevention programmes.

They also warn that drug resistance is likely to develop as a result

of incomplete treatments.

Majority of Kenyans suffering from HIV/Aids source their ARV drugs

from local HIV help centres.

But Health minister Charity Ngilu yesterday dismissed the charities'

concerns saying that the country was at no risk of losing the funding.

However, the Global Fund's deputy executive director, Dr Helen ,

said if Kenya failed to meet the Friday deadline it risked losing the

funding. " The Fund's board will make known its final decision in two

weeks, " she said during a meeting with Mrs Ngilu.

The Government was expected to have given out the money and accounted

for every cent of it by last November 30. However, in December, the

Global Fund extended the deadline to March 31.

Yesterday, the United Civil Society Coalition on Aids, TB and Malaria

officials confirmed Kenya risked losing the Sh7 billion grant now put

on hold if the Government misses the Friday deadline.

Officials of the organisation, led by Dr Ignatius Kibe, told a Press

conference in Nairobi that the Treasury and the Health ministry had

failed to " satisfactory " give an account of how part of the money was

used and why Sh720 million was yet to be handed over to pressure

groups and religious organisations fighting HIV/Aids. The rest of the

money was aimed at beating malaria and TB.

The Treasury is given the Global Fund money while the Health ministry

is responsible for distribution the life-prolonging drugs.

" If the Global Fund continues to withhold funding, the lives of

thousands of people who are already taking the life-prolonging drugs

will be at risk since they are likely to discontinue treatment. A

problem of multi-drug resistance among those on ARVs and TB drugs is

also likely to occur, " Dr Kibe, a pharmacist, warned yesterday.

The officials said that unless the Government met the deadline, the

future of donor aid was threatened as other donors may be wary of

committing funds to the Health ministry and even Kenya as a whole.

The officials released the findings of a special investigation team

set up to look into the problem.

Source: Daily Nation, Kenya

[Guest guest]

Aids patients at risk over threat to Sh7bn

Story by MIKE MWANIKI

Publication Date: 03/30/2006

Mrs Ngilu

The lives of close to 2.5 million seriously ill patients are at risk

because the Government has failed to account for millions of shillings

given to curb the spread of three diseases.

Now the Government has been given only 48 hours – until Friday – to

account to a United Nations offshoot how it spent the Sh720 million it

was given to fight HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis.

The money was part of Sh9.6 billion offered by the Global Fund to

prevent the spread of the killer diseases, as well as trying to manage

their treatment.

Turf wars between the Treasury and Health ministry and various

charities and pressure groups have been blamed for the failure to

distribute and account for the cash.

Now, because the Government has so far failed to explain how it spent

the cash, Sh7 billion mainly targeting malaria and TB has been put on

hold, endangering the lives of patients.

And in addition, attempts to increase the number of people receiving

antiretroviral treatment (ARVs) is likely to stagnate at only 70,000

people instead of the 200,000 people supposed to be receiving help.

There an an estimated 2.5 million people in Kenya who are HIV positive

and would benefit from treatment with ARVs.

The suspension of funding also puts at risk programmes to cut deaths

from malaria from 34,000 a year; which works out at 90 people – mainly

children aged under five – each day.

Also at risk is the growing number of people suffering from TB:

currently 200,000 of whom 74,000 a year or 202 a day, are dying from

lack of treatment.

Charities trying to fight the big three diseases have issued a warning

that unless the Government acts soon, they will be unable to expand

their treatment and prevention programmes.

They also warn that drug resistance is likely to develop as a result

of incomplete treatments.

Majority of Kenyans suffering from HIV/Aids source their ARV drugs

from local HIV help centres.

But Health minister Charity Ngilu yesterday dismissed the charities'

concerns saying that the country was at no risk of losing the funding.

However, the Global Fund's deputy executive director, Dr Helen ,

said if Kenya failed to meet the Friday deadline it risked losing the

funding. " The Fund's board will make known its final decision in two

weeks, " she said during a meeting with Mrs Ngilu.

The Government was expected to have given out the money and accounted

for every cent of it by last November 30. However, in December, the

Global Fund extended the deadline to March 31.

Yesterday, the United Civil Society Coalition on Aids, TB and Malaria

officials confirmed Kenya risked losing the Sh7 billion grant now put

on hold if the Government misses the Friday deadline.

Officials of the organisation, led by Dr Ignatius Kibe, told a Press

conference in Nairobi that the Treasury and the Health ministry had

failed to " satisfactory " give an account of how part of the money was

used and why Sh720 million was yet to be handed over to pressure

groups and religious organisations fighting HIV/Aids. The rest of the

money was aimed at beating malaria and TB.

The Treasury is given the Global Fund money while the Health ministry

is responsible for distribution the life-prolonging drugs.

" If the Global Fund continues to withhold funding, the lives of

thousands of people who are already taking the life-prolonging drugs

will be at risk since they are likely to discontinue treatment. A

problem of multi-drug resistance among those on ARVs and TB drugs is

also likely to occur, " Dr Kibe, a pharmacist, warned yesterday.

The officials said that unless the Government met the deadline, the

future of donor aid was threatened as other donors may be wary of

committing funds to the Health ministry and even Kenya as a whole.

The officials released the findings of a special investigation team

set up to look into the problem.

Source: Daily Nation, Kenya