Kenya, Global Fund Sign Grant Agreement To Fight AIDS, TB, Malaria
Kenyan officials and a representative of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on Sunday signed a two-year, $52 million grant to fight the diseases, Kenya's Daily Nation reports. Kenyan Minister of Finance David Mwiraria, Minister of Health Charity Ngilu and Jerry Van Moruik, a portfolio manager for the Global Fund, attended the ceremony. The government plans to spend $38.3 million of the grant on an antiretroviral drug program for an estimated 3,000 HIV-positive people, $5.5 million on TB drugs and $7.5 million on malaria medications. All malaria and TB drugs will now be provided for free at public hospitals (Otieno, Daily Nation, 6/16). Grace Omodho, assistant to the director of Kenya's National AIDS Control Council, said that the funds allocated for the antiretroviral program will be used to purchase the drugs, screen pregnant women for HIV and train health care workers to administer the drugs (Majtenyi, VOANews.com, 6/16). The grant, which will be received within the next 10 days, was awarded based on the country's second proposal; its first proposal was rejected last year, according to the Daily Nation (Daily Nation, 6/16). Moruik said that the country would receive additional funding if the money was spent properly, but he added that the funds would be cut off if used improperly. Mwiraria said that the government will "ensure ... accountability in all areas including implementation of projects" (Openda, East African Standard, 6/16). Ngilu warned that anyone found to be misusing the funds or trying to resell medications provided at government clinics will be punished (Daily Nation, 6/16).
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