[afro-nets] Reduction of user fee for HIV treatment in Kenya

[Dr S K Sharif <sksharif@ikenya.com>]

Reduction of user fee charges for HIV treatment in public sector
in Kenya
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The Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health in Kenya has di-
rected that all public hospitals reduce user fees for patients
receiving antiretroviral therapy with effect from August 2005.
The cost of drugs and laboratory tests to patients should not
exceed Ksh 100/- (US$ 1.3) per month. The Ministry's target is
to have 95,000 patients on ARV by the end of 2005. This is much
less then 220,000 patients who require ARV in Kenya according to
WHO. By end of June 44,000 patients in Kenya were on ART.

By reducing the financial access, it is anticipated that more
patients will be able to access therapy however staff shortages
and poor infrastructure particularly laboratories will still be
a challenge to the Ministry of Health to achieve the target.


Dr S K Sharif
Ministry of Health
Kenya
mailto:sksharif@ikenya.com