Kenya’s Political Leadership Commit on AIDS, TB and Malaria
By Elizaphan Ogechi
On 11 December 2007, as part of the World AIDS Day commemorative activities, civil society groups in Kenya held a truck procession targeting the headquarters of the three main political parties in the country. Representatives from civil society organisations (CSOs) responding to HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria visited the three political party secretariats.
During the visits, Kenya’s political leadership endorsed their commitment to address the impact of HIV and AIDS, TB, malaria and other health related challenges ahead of the 2007 elections.
Speaking separately at the party secretariats of Orange Democrat Movement (ODM) Kenya and Party of National Unity (PNU), the leaders highlighted their roadmaps for providing affordable universal health care services to all Kenyans.
Mr. Samwel Poghiso, chairman of ODM Kenya, noted that his party was fully committed to dealing with the devastating impact of HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria. He added that through its manifesto, his party would initiate pro-poor health strategies to ensure that all Kenyans have access to affordable health services.
At the ODM secretariat, party executive director, Ms Janet Ongera, noted that her party had elaborate plans for enhancing access to basic health services as enshrined in the international human rights instruments that Kenya has signed and ratified. She said that amongst other things, ODM would scale-up access to health services and provide free health care to all children under the age of five as well as to expectant mothers.
The PNU’s Secretary General, Albert Kamau, noted that the provision of quality, accessible health services was a top priority for the party. He said that PNU would ensure that all children and expectant mothers received free treatment in all public health facilities.
CSOs who facilitated the procession urged the party leadership to appreciate that these diseases are a burden to the country’s social economic agenda. They added that that the political leadership should ensure that Kenya fulfils its international commitments on health.
“We recognise that Kenya is a signatory to various international commitments and declarations on health such as the Abuja declaration, the Millennium Development Goals, the Maputo Declaration on TB and the United Nation General Special Session on HIV and AIDS, among others,” they said.
The representatives added that achieving universal access to HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support demands committed leadership.
This campaign was supported by the World AIDS Campaign (WAC). In Kenya the campaign was coordinated by Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium (KANCO) in close collaboration with Kenya Consortium to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (KECOFATUMA), Network of People Living with AIDS in Kenya (NEPHAK), Kenya Long Distance Truck Drivers Union, among others.