Malaria funding for kenya comes close second after uganda

Malaria continues to lag behind HIV in funding as manifested by the latest funding from The Global Fund for Malaria, HIV and Tuberculosis which has allocated Ksh42.4 billion to Kenya for a three-year period.

Last Thursday, the fund released a list showing how some $14.82 billion (KSh1.3 trillion) has been allocated among 123 countries for 2014-2016 period.

The allocations followed a board meeting held in Jakarta, Indonesia, early this month and will allow Kenya to access Sh28.9 billion for HIV (USD337.3 million), Sh9.7 billion for malaria (USD 113.1 million)and Sh3.8 billion (USD45 million) for tuberculosis.

Compared to the rest of East Africa funding for malaria, whereas Kenya got USD131.1 million, Uganda got USD145 million.

Rwanda on the other hand got USD 64.8 million, Burundi got USD 36.3 million with Tanzania getting the least at USD5 million.

According to a source at the Global Fund, all eligible countries receive an indicative funding amount (allocation) communicated by the Secretariat during the country dialogue process. The allocation amount is based on funds available following the Global Fund’s replenishment meeting for 2014 to 2016.

The source says that at the beginning of the allocation, the Secretariat apportions the total available resources among the three diseases.

For the 2014-2016 period the following distribution was set by the Board: 50 percent for HIV/AIDS, 32 percent for malaria, and 18percent for tuberculosis.

Based on a new funding model agreed upon in the recently concluded Board meeting of the Global Fund in Jakarta, Indonesia, countries will receive support in planning how to control these epidemics and to provide care and treatment to people affected by them, including strengthening of health systems.

The new funding model relies on strong country dialogue to bring partners together to best decide how to maximize impact, and to look at how all available resources can serve a country’s objectives.

But the Global Fund warns that there will be a funding gap between ultimate goals and available resources in most countries and urges countries to prioritise areas where resources are to be channeled.

Meanwhile, following a decision in November 2011 to adopt a new strategy to “evolve the funding model” and “invest for impact,” the Board, its Committees and Global Fund staff spent more than two years devising, refining and preparing a transition to the new funding model, coordinating closely with partners on each step.

“We are moving forward with a model that will enable our partners to reach more people with the information and services they need,” said Dr. Nafsiah Mboi, Chair of the Board of the Global Fund. “Working with partners, we are supporting the most effective methods to defeat AIDS, TB and malaria.”

The Board approved an updated comprehensive funding policy and an initial allocation of $10.2 billion for grants during 2014-2016. Ten percent, or close to US$1 billion, will go to “incentive” funding, to encourage ambitious plans. The Board also decided to make US$300 million available for regional grants and a variety of special initiatives during 2014-2016.

With a more strategic approach based on national plans, the new funding model will support countries in planning how to control these epidemics and to provide care and treatment to people affected by them, including strengthening of health systems. The new funding model relies on strong country dialogue to bring partners together to best decide how to maximize impact, and to look at how all available resources can serve a country’s objectives.

Available funding for health interventions does not meet the full demand in many countries. The Global Fund encourages ambitious national strategic plans to defeat HIV, TB and malaria, and is aware that focusing on maximum impact can in the future achieve more than seems possible today. To enable long-term sustainability, the Global Fund is encouraging greater investment and long-term financing in countries all over the world.

The Board also approved a revised disclosure policy for the Office of the Inspector General, building further upon a policy of a high degree of transparency. The revised policy calls for publicly releasing all reports the Office of the Inspector General, including those on internal operations at the Global Fund.

The Global Fund Strategy for 2012-2016 requires implementing country governments to increase efforts to mobilize additional resources.

Ernest Waititu, Communications at the Global Fund says countries are in particular required to fulfill their obligations, such as the Abuja Declaration, and sustain and grow contributions to the national response against the three diseases.

This he said, is to establish the basis for future sustainability of national disease programs hinged on mandatory counterpart financing requirements for its financial support.

The Global Fund has also incorporated ‘willingness-to-pay’ as a qualitative factor for adjusting the indicative funding. The indicative funding amount shared with the country will include a 15 percent allocation for willingness-to-pay that can be availed by applicant countries based on additional government commitments for the next phase.