NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 27 – Four counties are facing uncertainty over the future of critical health programmes targeting neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) following plans by key donors to withdraw funding.
Trans Nzoia, Kakamega, Vihiga and Bungoma have been beneficiaries of the interventions, which focus on 21 neglected tropical diseases.
The planned exit comes in the wake of a freeze in aid from the UK and US governments, funding that has been channelled through the End Fund to support NTD programmes.
The End Fund has been implementing the initiatives alongside partners including Amref Health Africa, the African Institute for Health and Development (AIHD) and WASH Alliance Kenya, working closely with the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Institute.
Representatives from the End Fund and partner organisations are now meeting county officials in Eldoret to chart the way forward.
The talks are centred on mobilising domestic resources and transferring programme ownership to county governments to sustain efforts to eliminate bilharzia and soil-transmitted intestinal worms.
End Fund head of programmes Irene Chami said donor support for NTD programmes will end next year.
The four counties have received about Sh1 billion over the past four years to fund interventions targeting the diseases, which have had a high prevalence in the region.
“We now have to explore how to mobilise local resources as we transition, having worked with counties and communities for the last five years,” Chami said.
She said the ongoing engagements aim to strengthen county systems and develop transition plans to ensure continuity of the programmes.
Chami said the new approach will emphasise sustainability by integrating services into primary healthcare systems rather than relying on standalone interventions.
“As part of sustainability, we are moving from vertical treatment approaches to integrating services through community health promoters and other systems to ensure continuity beyond donor support,” she said.
Chami said counties will be supported to strengthen health information systems, supply chains, leadership and governance as donor funding is gradually phased out.
Amref Health Africa representative Juma Chitiavi said significant progress has been made in controlling the diseases over the past five years.
He said the prevalence of intestinal worms has dropped from about eight per cent to five per cent, while bilharzia cases have reduced from five per cent to about one per cent.
“We are integrating these interventions into primary healthcare systems so counties can continue reaching communities effectively,” he said.
Chitiavi urged counties to allocate resources to sustain the gains made.
“If counties do not take up funding and implementation, there is a risk of resurgence and loss of the progress achieved,” he warned.
Titus Waititu, programmes manager at the National Public Health Institute, said Kenya has already eliminated Guinea worm and sleeping sickness.
“We are on track to eliminate five more neglected tropical diseases in affected counties,” he said.
