Nairobi — Kenya will receive Sh10 billion from the World Bank for Aids programmes in the next four years.

Special Programmes minister John Munyes yesterday said an agreement will be signed between the Government and the bank soon for the funds to be disbursed.

Other donors, the minister added, are expected to provide an additional Sh10 billion to fight HIV and Aids.

"At the same time, the Government is expected to disburse Sh30 billion to the National Aids Control Council for Aids programmes at the grassroots," Mr Munyes said.

Speaking during a press conference at Landmark Plaza in Nairobi, Mr Munyes said the rate of new HIV/Aids infection had dropped from 85,000 in 2004 to 60,000 in 2005.

"During the same period, the HIV prevalence rate also dropped from 6.1 per cent to 5.9 per cent.."

In the Aids strategic plan, the Government has set a target to reduce HIV prevalence to below 5.5 per cent by 2010.

"Apart from reduction in prevalence, the Government also wants to reduce the rate of new infections, which we view as a better measure for success in the war against Aids," Mr Munyes said.

The minister was with the council's chairperson, Prof Miriam Were, UNAids country coordinator Erasmus Morah and World Bank senior health specialist Adam Lagerstedt.

Dr Morah praised Kenya's gains in the fight against HIV and Aids, and urged other countries to emulate it.

Prof Were attributed the achievement to good leadership, an upsurge in the use of condoms and behaviour change.

Civil society

"The active and collaborative involvement of a wide range of partners - including public and private sectors, civil society organisations, faith-based community and donors, under the coordination of the National Aids Control Council - is undoubtedly a factor in Kenya's success to date," Prof Were added.

Mr Munyes said that studies showed the youth were delaying sex debut while a majority were also abstaining from risky sexual behaviour.

The scale-up in the treatment had also enhanced the quality of life of those infected.

"Through antiretroviral therapy, we have averted 39,132 deaths in 2005 and the figure is expected to grow as we increase treatment," he said.

The number of Aids-related deaths per year stands at 115,000 which translates to 150 persons per day, he said.