NAIROBI NOVEMBER 4, 2016 (CISA) – Five Faith Based Organization in the networks of Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim affiliated health facilities met on November 3 to review their performance in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
The forum held at a Nairobi hotel under theme “Joining together to celebrate our successes in the fight against HIV in Kenya,” discussed the contribution of Faith-based organizations (FBOs) to the HIV response in the country.
They included the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), Christian Health Association of Kenya (CHAK), Coptic Mission Hospital, Eastern Deanery Aids Relief Program (EDARP) and BOMU Medical Center.
“We renew our commitment to support all effort already undertaken by the national government, county government and other non-governmental organizations to alleviate the human suffering caused by the pandemic and to prevent it from further spreading and if possible to eliminate it completely in human history,” said Bishop Paul Njiru Kariuki, Chairman Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) Commission for Health.
For the last five years, the FBOs through the support of the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and partnership of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Kenya, have been providing preventive, promote and curative health care service across all 47 counties in the country.
Bishop Kariuki, urged the government and development partners to sustain the support towards fighting HIV/AIDS.
“We appeal for continued government and development partners support towards sustainability and scaling up of this (HIV) program,” said the Bishop, who is also in charge of KCCB’s Kenya Aids Response Program (KARP).
Speaking during the same event, CDC Kenya Country Director, Dr Kevin De Cock said FBOs historically played a major role in delivering health services especially in low income countries.
“They have been a key contributor in expanding HIV programs across the African continent and they provide high quality services to the most vulnerable often hard to reach places,” he said.
The event brought together religious leaders, officials from county governments, representatives of development partners and beneficiaries of the programs.
Also present at the forum was Deputy Chief of Mission US Embassy, Paul Sutphin and Head of National AIDS and STI Control Program, Dr Martin Sirengo who represented the Ministry of Health.
