A synthesis of Programmatic Response to HIV/AIDS Pandemic in Kenya: Which way forward?

–The HIV epidemic in Kenya peaked in the late 1990s with an overall prevalence rate of over 14%. With various iniatives implented, currently the prevalence rate is estimated at 6.3 % in the age group 15-49 years. This notwithstanding, incidence remains high at 132,000 adults and 34,000 paediatric cases annualy. A total of I.5million cases of HIV have been reported to date. With improved diagnostic capacity available across the country more than 800,000 people require treatment and yet only slightly more than 400,000 are currently receiving care and support from all the resources available in the country leaving a large gap. The bulk of the funding for the fight against HIV/AIDS in Kenya comes from the development partners (87%), leaving only a total of 13% from government and other local sources. This scenario is likely to worsen as partners become more constrained following international recessions and donors’ change in priority package. In this regard, the country has to devise innovative ways of raising revenue domestically to enhance sustainability for HIV financing both in the short term and long term. Various innovative financing strategies are proposed based on the review. Among these include establishing a Trust Fund, introducing a small levy on passenger air ticket, mobile telephone services and remittances from the Diaspora abroad. Others include floating a HIV bond and as well as establishing lotteries specifically for HIV/AIDS. Keywords––Pandemic, Trust Fund, Remittances, Levies, Private Public Partnership, HIV Prevalence rate