Health Systems and Economics: HIV/AIDS Funding in Kenya Case Study

This case study examines the critical issue of HIV/AIDS funding within the Kenyan healthcare system, particularly focusing on the impact of inadequate financial resources on service delivery. The analysis highlights the reliance on external funding sources, which creates challenges such as shortages of trained healthcare professionals, limited access to equipment and medications, and reduced access to testing, treatment, and counseling services. The study emphasizes the need for increased internal budgetary allocations to address these issues and align with the World Health Organization's building blocks for a sound health system. The document underscores how increased funding can improve the quality of healthcare, incentivize healthcare workers, and enhance access to information and education about HIV/AIDS, ultimately emphasizing the pivotal role of adequate funding in effectively combating the epidemic. The case study underscores the significance of sustainable funding models to ensure the long-term viability and effectiveness of HIV/AIDS healthcare services in Kenya.

Health Systems and Economics
Students Name
Institution

HIV/AIDS 1
Undoubtedly HIV/AIDS is a global challenge. Even further is the issue of financing and
proper service delivery to Kenyans and most of the Sub Saharan countries (Unicef.Org, N.d).In
the delivery of HIV/Aids health service delivery, third world countries such as Kenya suffer
from adequate funding from their own government (Amref Health Kenya, 2017).According to
the W.H.O building block guidelines 2007, finance is one of the key elements (Chan, 2007).
Under the Kenyan health care system, the delivery of HIV/AIDS services is majorly funded by
external sources of funding(Muchangi,2018).Under the current constitutional dispensation, the
health service delivery has been decentralized to the counties as opposed to the national
government. The fact that the delivery of HIV/AIDS care depends on external funding has
created various challenges.
Notably, there is shortage of trained health care givers in the HIV/AIDS health sector.
The shortage can be attributed to inadequate financing of HIV/AIDS health care services. There
has been a shortage of equipment and medicines for affected patients due to limited funding .In
addition to the shortage of human resources of health, there is shortage of funding for service
delivery of health services to the afflicted population. Due to limited funding access to testing
facilities has been affected. Additionally, access to HIV/AIDS medication and counselling has
been curtailed by inadequate funding. The Kenyan government needs to dig deep into its pocket
during budgetary allocations to the health sector fighting HIV/AIDS in a bid to deliver on the 6
building blocks as advised by the World Health Organization. Noteworthy, without proper
financing most of the key elements of a sound health system are unattainable.
Increased funding will address the shortage of trained health care givers by creating
more training institutions which will produce competent HIV/AIDS caregivers. Additionally,

HIV/AIDS 2
better funding will increase the access to HIV/AIDS treatment and support. Without adequate
funding, trained HIV/AIDS health care givers will not be motivated to keep doing their jobs but
will instead join other professions. Through more internal budgetary allocations, trained health
care givers will be given adequate remuneration and incentives to encourage them serve the
HIV/AIDS affected persons thus delivering on the features of a sound health system. Also,
through adequate internal and external funding, there will be easy access to information and
HIV/AIDS education due to the ability to publish educative pamphlets and cater for expenses
and equipment used in the dissemination of the information about HIV/AIDS, prevention,
treatment, care among other forms of information.
Overall, funding is everything in the struggle against HIV/AIDS. This is due to the fact
that adequate funding makes it possible to offer training to possible health care givers, thus
providing competent personnel, provide remuneration to trained HIV/AIDS trained health care
givers so as to keep them motivated and at work, provide the medicine required by HIV/AIDS
affected persons and also purchase the required equipment such as education pamphlets and
other health related expenses. Due to the inadequate funding of the Kenyan HIV/AIDS health
care system is not sound.

HIV/AIDS 3
References
Chan, M. (2007). Strengthening health systems to improve health.Retrieved
fromhttps://www.who.int/healthsystems/strategy/everybodys_business.pdf
Unicef.Org.(N.d).Health system strngthening for MNH Program.Retrieved from
https://www.unicef.org/kenya/KE_HSS.pdf
Muchangi, J. (2018, Jun 13) .Why Kenya must address sustainability in the funding of HIV, TB
and Malaria. The star. Retrieved from https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2018/06/13/why-
kenya-must-address-sustainability-in-the-funding-of-hiv-tb-and_c1772738
Amref Health Kenya. (2017). Amref Health Africa’s position statement on task
shifting .Retrieved from https://amref.org/position-statements/amref-health-africas-
position-statement-on-task-shifting-3/