Kenya faces HIV funding crisis as donor support dwindles

Kenya requires Sh 5.24 billion for the 2024/2025 fiscal year and Sh 13.5 billion for 2025/2026 to maintain its current HIV response.

Of these, Sh 1.2 billion will be used for distributing supplies procured by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and Sh 7.6 billion to bridge the expected funding gap in 2025/2026.

Another Sh 3.98 billion to retain 11,059 frontline healthcare workers in 2024/2025, increasing to Sh 5.8 billion the following year.

Annually for system maintenance and integration into Kenya’s digital health infrastructure, Sh 140 million.

Speaking during a high-level consultative meeting on the crisis in Nairobi, Cabinet Secretary for Health Dr. Debra Mulongo Barasa said with international funds dwindling, county governments must increase domestic resource allocation for HIV programs.

"Counties have a unique opportunity to step in and bridge the resource gap by utilizing the Facilities Improvement Fund (FIF) to hire additional healthcare workers," she urged. "This will ensure uninterrupted service delivery, especially for essential programs currently supported by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief."

The CS noted that donor funding has been instrumental in ensuring access to treatment and prevention services.

“The time has come for us to rethink our approach to disease management and invest in long-term sustainability," she stated.

Beyond government intervention, she called for greater advocacy.

"I urge all stakeholders to push for increased budgetary allocations to the health sector, particularly for HIV programs. Without sustained domestic investment, the progress we have made is at risk."

For over two decades, international funding has been the backbone of Kenya’s fight against HIV.

Millions of Kenyans have benefitted from lifesaving antiretroviral treatment (ART), prevention programs, and critical diagnostic services. But now, with the recent halt in funding from the United States government, uncertainty looms over the future of these programs.

"We acknowledge the vital role that international partnerships have played in supporting our HIV response," she said.

The CS noted that Kenya has made remarkable strides in controlling HIV over the past decade. In 2023, 95 per cent of the 1.3 million Kenyans living with HIV knew their status.

ART coverage has soared from 41 per cent in 2013 to 97 per cent in 2023. Viral suppression among those on treatment has improved to 94 per cent, thanks in part to the contributions of international partners like the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

 Principal Secretary for Medical Services Harry Kimtai said thousands of healthcare workers are now grappling with the sudden suspension of U.S. funding for global health programs, a decision that has sent shockwaves through Kenya’s healthcare system.

“The abrupt withdrawal of funding threatens to reverse years of progress in fighting diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.

 It also puts thousands of jobs at risk, affecting dedicated healthcare workers who have given their lives to serving the most vulnerable,” said Kimtai.

The health workers have worked tirelessly to ensure patients receive HIV treatment, vaccinations, and maternal healthcare services—care that, until now, had been largely supported by international donors.

Despite the grim outlook, the government is calling for resilience and unity in finding solutions.

“We are engaging with African Union institutions, private sector investors, and philanthropic organizations to bridge the funding gap. We must explore local solutions—strengthening public-private partnerships, investing in domestic health financing, and ensuring sustainability in healthcare delivery,” noted Kimtai.