The Ministry of Health has denied claims ARVs meant for Kenya have been diverted due to nonpayment of taxes.
It said health products procured under the President’s Emergency Fund - including ARVs - are tax exempt.
In a statement on Monday, the ministry said, "No single dose of ARV procured by the President’s Emergency Fund for AIDs Relief (PEPFAR) through USAID for Kenya, has been diverted to any other country due to non-payment of taxes imposed by the government."
A blog had on December 31 alleged that the drugs had been diverted, but in a post on Facebook on Thursday last week , KRA denied the allegation.
ARVs, medicines for Opportunistic Infections (OIs) for adult and pediatric patients, Laboratory and Nutrition commodities are procured by the government, with support from the Global Fund (GF) and the US government through PEPFAR.
The commodities are then distributed by the Ministry of Health through its Division of National AIDS and STI Control Program (NASCOP).
The ministry has also made it clear that it regularly monitors the stocks of ARVs in the country by holding monthly meetings with the procurement planning committee comprising PEPFAR and other key stakeholders to ensure adequate quantities of all ARVs are in place to meet requirements.
"The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) is the Ministry’s agency responsible for the procurement, warehousing and distribution of medical products including the PEPFAR funded commodities," the ministry's statement said.
"Procurement under the PEPFAR funding stream is on-going with shipments from the various vendors expected in the country beginning this January."
