RE-THINKING HIV AIDS FUNDING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN KENYA

Abstract

The changing face of donor driven HIV funding in Kenya poses one of the main economic threat to people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the country. Most countries transitioning from low income economies to middle income countries should/are required to demonstrate progressive ownership in financing their own health care systems. Kenya recently achieved a middle income economic status yet financing of HIV Programmes and other healthcare programs remains lowly funded. The high HIV burden in Kenya limits the attainment of the healthcare financing for those living with HIV AIDS in Kenya. The potential upshots includes, and not limited to, rise in medical expenses among the PLHIV. As a result, this reverses the economic milestones achieved in the past years. Other consequences include increase in impoverished populations due to increased disease burdens, increase in the number of Orphans and Vulnerable Children among other downsides that are implied by such reversals. Indications to ascertain these are deduced from key findings of the empirical literature review. First, Kenya allocates approximately 4% of the GDP in all of healthcare sectors and has remained so since 2002. Secondly, 80% of HIV AIDS financing is by donors, that the progress towards increasing domestic financing has remained relatively same since FY 2013/14 to FY 16/17 fluctuating between 24% in FY 13/14, 30% in FY 14/15, and 29% in the FY 15/16. Some of the proposed solutions for to mitigate such eventualities are outlined in this paper. Empirical literature review and secondary data use inform on the potential strategies adopted and potential consequences of non response. Notably, the study establishes that about 80% of HIV AIDS is donor funded. This over reliance on donor funding is catastrophic in the face of donor withdrawal from middle income countries with Vietnam being an example. Some of the solutions and recommendations proposed to prevent the uncertainties that may prevail in such circumstances include enhancement of healthcare insurance policies for the PLHIV and the citizenry, enhanced and strategic tax collection mechanisms, and encouraging scientific based planning of insurance policies.