NAIROBI - This week, the United States government pledged an additional $2.7 billion to the Republic of Kenya to help fight HIV infection throughout the country under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The commitment now makes Kenya the largest partner of this program in the world. To date, under this plan, Kenya has received $1.35 billion since 2004. Kenya has made progress in many areas including reducing AIDS-related deaths by 29 percent, assisting over 3.5 million children and pregnant women through counseling and testing, and treating over 300,000 people infected with HIV since September 30, 2008.
"The government of Kenya appreciates the United States' continuous support in the fight against this pandemic. The drop in AIDS-related deaths in Kenya proves the effectiveness of programs like these. This aid will continue to support the million-plus Kenyans who struggle with HIV/AIDS everyday and the thousands of healthcare workers who are dedicated to caring for and fighting this disease in Kenya," said H.E. Ambassador Peter Ogego.
Although AIDS-related deaths in Kenya have decreased, the disease still affects over a million people throughout the country. In addition to assisting with general education and counseling, the aid package will benefit 550,000 orphans and children. Specifically, it will provide them with additional disease prevention and testing including peripheral diseases like Tuberculosis.
With this commitment, it is anticipated that the United States government will increase its direct support for the fight against HIV/AIDS by a minimum of 10 percent annually - a commitment that will help the Kenyan government and organizations on the ground, USAID; the National AIDS Control Council (NACC); the National AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control Programme (NASCOP), fight the ongoing battle against this disease.
For more information, please contact Lisa Mendelson at lmendelson@clsdc.com or 202-777-3561.