Kenya, USAID agree to negotiate over withheld ARVs amid unresolved tax row
Kenya and United States governments have resolved stalemate on antiretrovirals drugs (ARVs) held at the Port of Mombasa after a protracted tax row. .
The National AIDS Control Council (NACC) Chief Executive Officer Ruth Masha said the committee convened by the council held a series of meetings with US representatives where all outstanding issues were resolved.
This comes after the country recently experienced devastating disruption and shortage in the supply chain of the life sustaining drugs following tax row between the Kenyan government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
“As a result, eligible persons living with HIV have been receiving less than the 3-months’ supply of medications,” said the council through a news dispatch to newsrooms.
However, the council said the country had made significant progress in the HIV response with an estimated 1.5 million People Living with HIV, 1.2 million are currently on long-term life-saving ARVs.
According to Masha, the resolutions include the signing of a framework and implementation letter to facilitate tax and fee waivers, and distribution of age USAID purchased commodities.
“These commodities are now cleared and ready for distribution,” she said.
The council appreciated the long-standing partnership with the US government saying that it will continue to work with all stakeholders to address gaps and challenges in the HIV response including the issues affecting the commodities supply chain.
To unlock the impasse, Ministry of Health Principal Secretary Susan Mochache, appointed a committee on May 11, 2021, to work on modalities of resolving the stalemate.
The committee drew representatives from the Ministry of Health, National AIDS Control Council (NACC), National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NASCOP), Malaria Programme, Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), Pharmacy and Poisons Board and the Council of Governors.
There was a national concern with regard to low stocks of ARVs which majorly affected HIV/AIDs high burden Counties.
