A consignment of HIV commodities valued at approximately Sh30 billion remains undistributed in Kenya, raising concerns over access to life-saving treatment and prevention supplies. The consignment, housed at the Mombasa Road warehouses of the Mission for Essential Drugs & Supplies (MEDS), includes a broad range of items vital to HIV management, such as antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, testing kits, condoms, lubricants, needles, syringes, laboratory reagents, and supplies for viral load and CD4 testing. Despite the urgent need for these items in healthcare facilities across the country, they are yet to reach the intended recipients due to logistical and funding constraints.
The National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) has proposed that the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) take charge of distributing the commodities to health facilities nationwide. However, the distribution effort requires Sh1.2 billion in funding to ensure last-mile delivery, which the government has yet to secure. Douglas Bosire, head of county support at the NSDCC, highlighted the gravity of the situation, stating, “That is the amount government needs so that KEMSA distributes last mile to all the facilities in the country.” The delay in distribution poses a serious risk to patients relying on consistent access to ARVs and other HIV-related health services.
Among the drugs awaiting distribution is Nevirapine, a critical ARV particularly used for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Bosire emphasized the significance of getting this drug into health facilities, especially in regions like Wajir County, where mother-to-child transmission rates are alarmingly high. “They are there. We don’t have stocks in the main pipeline so much, but they are there in the consignment that is at MEDS and it needs to be distributed so that the mothers of Wajir don’t continue transmitting the virus to their children,” he said. Current data indicates that in Wajir, 33 out of every 100 HIV-positive mothers transmit the virus to their newborns a situation that health officials are determined to change.
The bulk of Kenya’s HIV commodities are funded by the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar), which has been a longstanding partner in the country’s fight against HIV/AIDS. However, the ongoing delay in distribution coincides with looming cuts to US funding, a situation that threatens the sustainability of Kenya’s HIV response efforts. From October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, the anticipated funding reduction is expected to impact approximately 41,547 staff involved in HIV service delivery. These personnel, spread across 40 counties and working in health facilities ranging from level II to level VI, play critical roles in clinical care, community outreach, and program management.
The Council of Governors has expressed concern that the loss of Pepfar support may lead to job losses for these healthcare workers, further straining an already burdened health system. Stakeholders at a high-level consultative forum in Nairobi stressed the need for urgent action to secure the necessary funds for distribution and to mitigate the potential impact of the anticipated funding shortfall. As the commodities continue to sit in warehouses, the clock is ticking for thousands of Kenyans whose lives depend on timely access to HIV treatment and prevention services.
