Accelerating the pace towards attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is top on the agenda of many nations. From 20th to 22nd September 2010, world leaders will meet in New York at the Millennium Summit to discuss the progress made on MDGs. 2015 is the target year by which to achieve these globally agreed goals to reduce extreme poverty. With five years left to 2015, the countdown is on. The progress made by most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, on the MDGs, especially those related to health, has been extremely slow. In Kenya, approximately 8000 women die annually due to pregnancy related complications. MORE »
In an editorial in the “Tropical Medicine and International Health” journal Ms Valery Ridde analyses how per diems have negatively impacted on health care interventions, health research and contributed to health care systems dysfunctions in Africa. She notes that “If some expect that Africa will not achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, we believe per diems are contributing to that expected failure because they reduce the potential effectiveness of interventions and dilute health sector resources”. MORE »
South Africa’s (SA) leading experts analyze the current status of HIV/AIDS and make bold recommendations for the future if SA is to reach its 2015 targets . The short, well written paper reviews current practice in prevention and treatment. The paper stresses the need for a “focus on fundamentals and leadership in order to change the trajectory of the epidemic”. MORE »
1 Comment »Financing of health care is important globally. In Kenya, health financing has been high on the agenda of government, development partners and other stakeholders for a long time. This is because of health financing challenges that the country experiences- high out of pocket expenditure, limited funding of health care, unsustainable funding from development partners and inefficiency in utilisation of health care resources. Kenya is developing a health financing strategy that seeks to address these challenges. The Strategy proposes a financing system which guarantees access to quality health care for all Kenyans especially the poor. Pilot introduction of the Strategy has been proposed. The pilots aim to remove user fees and provide social health insurance in selected districts. MORE »
For more than two years now GTZ Health Sector Programme has been supporting Bamburi Cement Ltd. to implement a HIV/AIDS workplace programme for its approximately 10,000 workers and their dependants, branches and their contractor companies. Plans are now underway to expand the workplace programme activities, including broadening of the approach. MORE »
The United States Government (USG) held a consultative meeting on 3rd August 2010 with Development Partners in Health in Kenya (DPHK) to discuss the priorities for strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)/ Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) in the Kenyan health sector. The discussions were intended to inform capacity development plans under USG’s new country programme for Kenya. GTZ Health Sector Programme, through Dr. Klaus Hornetz, participated in the meeting as a member of the DPHK. MORE »
The Development Partners in Health Kenya (DPHK) held its monthly meeting on 19 August 2010. The German Development Cooperation (GDC), through GTZ Health Sector Programme, participated in the meeting as a member of the development partners group and in its capacity as one of the deputy-chairs of the DPHK. MORE »
The regular health review/planning summit was held on 22nd July 2010. German Development Corporation (GDC) participated in the Summit as a key development partner in the Kenyan health sector and was represented by the Sector Coordinator, Dr. Klaus Hornetz. MORE »
“The cultural, religious and ethnic dynamics around the subject of homosexuality continue to create controversy in the legal and political spheres of Kenya. To be homosexual is still identified as unnatural, ungodly, a taboo while stigmatisation and hostility persist,” interview with the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya. The GTZ health sector programme in Kenya has recently partnered with the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK) in the production of a short video which gives a snap-shot of the current situation of gay people in Kenya as well as challenges faced in society-see http://www.gtz.de/en/themen/soziale-entwicklung/hiv-aids/31965.htm). MORE »
Kenya has made significant progress in fighting female genital mutilation. This is demonstrated by comparable national data over the last 10 years that confirms a significant decline in the practice in Kenya. This position was also echoed by Prof. Collette Suda, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development, while charing a meeting of the ‘National Committee for the Abandonment of FGM’ (NACAF) on 13th of August, 2010 at The Panafric Hotel in Nairobi.