By Joseph Muchiri
The National Aids Control Council (Nacc) is lobbying Parliament to pass the proposed Nacc Bill as the council comes to terms with news that the World Bank and other major donors may stop funding HIV/ Aids programmes next year.
Nacc board members say the Bill should be passed on grounds that the current legal set up gives the council responsibilities without giving it powers thus making it toothless in enforcing accountability of funds given to various organisations fighting HIV/ Aids.
The Bill also seeks the establishment of an independent commission so that the multi-sectorial nature of HIV/ Aids programming is maintained given that the number of ministries will reduce in the next government and perhaps Nacc may end up in a ministry that makes its mandate unattainable.
pull out
Speaking when Nacc met Muthetia Self Help Group in Embu County on Wednesday, Ken Wafula, a board member with Nacc, said the prevailing economic conditions in western countries has led to some donors threatening to pull out from funding HIV/ Aids programmes.
Wafula said since the World Bank funded Total War Against Aids project may end next year, there is need for implementation of the Bill so that the council would be assured of funds from the Government to finance its activities.
“Ninety-five per cent funding for HIV/ Aids projects comes from donors with only five percent coming from the Government. The funding is clearly a Kenyan problem and should the donors pull out, the fight against the scourge would be severely hampered,” said Wafula.
Wafula, who is also the chairman of Non-Governmental Organisations Council, said the Bill seeks to have the Government allocate one per cent of its annual budget to HIV/ Aids programmes and to have that money channeled through a national Aids commission.
He said more than Sh20 billion is needed annually to effectively fight HIV/ Aids.
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