Kenya set for more HIV funding

Kenya has received a funding boost in its battle against HIV and Aids.

The country will be given extra money from the United States Presidents Emergency Plan for Aids Relief.

As part of the scheme, Kenya will be given $2.7 billion (£1.4 billion) over the next five years.

The money represents a 112 per cent rise in the current aid that the nation receives.

Uhuru Kenyatta, the Kenyan finance minister, told Reuters about the financial effect that HIV and Aids have on the country.

He explained: "Studies done assessing the effect of HIV/Aids on economic growth in Africa show that we lose about 2 percentage points in terms of growth. This is due to the negative impact of HIV/Aids impact on productivity of labour."

Recently, xinhuanet.com reported that a new HIV vaccine which could be available from 2015 may be able to cut infections by as much as 40 per cent.

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