Kenya has secured provisional approval for $322 million (Ksh43 billion) in funding to bolster its HIV response efforts.
This financial support, allocated for Year 2 through the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Program (PEPFAR) Country Operational Plan (COP) 2022, is set to be implemented from October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025. The funding aims to facilitate critical solutions enabling Kenya to maintain epidemic control.
The announcement was made during the COP 23 approval meeting held on Tuesday. The meeting saw representation from the Kenyan Government, with Ministry of Health Cabinet Secretary Nakhumicha S. Wafula in attendance, alongside officials from the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator, including Ambassador John Nkengasong, and US Ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman.
Also present were Julia Martin, Chair of COP 23 for Kenya; representatives from the PEPFAR Country team through respective agencies such as CDC, USAID, and DOD; the Council of Governors (COG); civil society representatives; and officials from the Ministry of Health, including the Acting Director General Health, National AIDS and STI Control Program, and the National Syndemic Disease Control Council (NSDCC).
During the meeting, US Ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman, expressed confidence in Kenya’s ability to achieve epidemic control, including the ambitious goal of ending AIDS in children by 2027.
Ambassador Nkengasong, the US Global AIDS Coordinator, hailed Kenya’s strong commitment and efforts in HIV management, as well as the Government of Kenya’s (GOK) transformation of the health sector through initiatives like Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Primary Health Care (PHC), which are critical pillars of a sustainable HIV response.
Speakers at the meeting praised the alignment of proposed priorities and the collaboration between the Ministry of Health, communities, counties, and the Kenya PEPFAR team, as reflected in the COP process and proposal.
In her remarks, Cabinet Secretary Nakhumicha S. Wafula reiterated the Ministry of Health’s commitment to steward the response and provide a conducive environment for the convergence of the HIV response within the context of UHC, as the country accelerates its efforts towards epidemic control.
The PEPFAR Country Operational Plan (COP) serves as an annual strategic plan for U.S. government-funded global HIV/AIDS activities, highlighting the ongoing commitment to combatting the HIV epidemic on a global scale.