Global Fund Grants Kenya $483 Million to Combat HIV

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria has approved a $483 million grant to assist Kenya's disease-fighting efforts through 2015, the nation's public health and sanitation minister announced on March 23. "This grant from Round 10 of the Global Fund will complement government efforts to reduce the number of people dying from HIV-related complications," Beth Mugo told reporters. The government currently is providing antiretrovirals to 400,000 patients; with the help of the Global Fund, it hopes to achieve universal access. Some of the funds have been earmarked to train more workers in how to prevent the transmission of HIV from mothers to their babies, said Mark Bor, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Public Health. "Already government-trained nurses by the fund have managed to reduce the number of deaths among children under age five from 115 per 1,000 live births back in 2003 to 74 last year due to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV," he said. In addition to its arrangement with the Global Fund, the government also is working with UNITAID, which helps developing nations access low-cost generic ARVs.

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