PEPFA to give flat funding for ARVs up to 2020

By Violet Nabatanzi

Starting next year, the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) will give Ugandans a flat funding for Antiretroviral (ARVs) drugs and other HIV services.

Every year PEPFA will give out only $184m to government targeting specific populations and geographical areas for a period of five years.

The program officer, International community of women living with HIV - Eastern Africa Dorothy Namutamba learnt that, the flat funding came in with a condition targeting specific population and geographical locations.

Namutamba revealed at the launch of a report on accessibility of essential HIV/AIDS medicines by HEPS-Uganda-coalition for health promotion and social development at hotel Africana.

She said the officials from PEPFA attributed the flat funding to global financial crisis, which has also affected them.

About $323m (about sh805b) was allocated for this fiscal year 2014 under PEPFAR.

At least 60% was dedicated to treatment while 40% was earmarked to accelerate prevention projects like safe male medical circumcision and condom supply.

Of the 577,000 Ugandans currently on ARVS, 87% (507,000) are funded by PEPFAR.

 HIV prevalence increased from 6.4% in 2006 to 7.3% currently.

Namutamba expressed concern that, “This is a big challenge knowing very well that HIV incidence is growing every year, adding that more people are in need of treatment.”

Namutamba added that, government needs to come up with interventions to see how HIV patients who have been on treatment can be taken up by the other mechanisms which are already in place.

“We need to find resources within our country to support people, who are in need of treatment to continue with it,” she noted.