Kenyans have expressed their fear over the shortage of condoms and Antiretroviral drugs amidst incessant dispute between the government and donors over recent tax measures.
While the Ministry of Health is on an all out charm offensive to spruce up its image, hospitals, restaurants, hotels and social functions continue to report empty condom dispensing boxes. HIV patients have come out, even staging demos in major Kenyan counties calling on the government to choose between lives and taxes.
An ugly showdown has been looming between the Kenyan government and donors after the former introduced a punitive $847, 902 tax on ARVs donations, a development that delayed shipment of the Antiretroviral drugs from the United States of America.
The US government has also cast doubt on the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA), the state body with the responsibility of distributing drugs in the country, accusing it of being endemically corrupt. In April, President Uhuru Kenyatta fired the KEMSA board following public approar over missing COVID-19 millions in donations.
However, no prosecution has been successfully made.
“We cannot live in a country where the plight of the sick is the least of government priorities,” said Jackson Kibe, a Kenyan living with HIV.
“People have developed complications because of missing their daily doses. Now there are no condoms. This is genocide against the populace.” He added.
For Faith Chebet, also an HIV patient, her major worry is young people who are given to clubbing.
“We’re going to kill these boys and girls with this alarming reports. If the government can’t manufacture condoms, then there’s no point introducing unnecessary taxes.” He said.
Free condoms in the country are provided by the Global Fund and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) while the United States government provides Antiretroviral drugs.
According to Kenya’s Ministry of Health, 1.5 million Kenyans are currently living with HIV/AIDS. HIV prevalence rate stands at 4.6%.