Members of the National Assembly of Kenya have raised serious concerns over reduced funding for tuberculosis programmes, warning that the country risks reversing hard-won gains in the fight against the disease.
The concerns emerged during a sitting of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Health at Bunge Tower, Parliament Buildings, as lawmakers scrutinised the Supplementary Estimates I for the 2025/2026 financial year.
Officials from the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lung Disease Program told the committee that a funding cut from $10 million (Sh1.3 billion) to approximately $7.7 million (about Sh1 billion) over two years would significantly undermine key interventions.
The reduction translates to a shortfall of roughly Sh200 million annually.
Dr. Immaculate Kathure, the head of The National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lung Disease Program (NTLD-P) warned that the funding gap would slow down critical programme activities, including the rollout of new treatment and diagnostic strategies.
“We have made significant progress, including reducing treatment duration for drug-resistant TB from 18 months to six months, and for children from six months to four months,” she said. “We are also introducing preventive therapies that shorten treatment periods further. However, these gains are at risk if funding is not restored.”
Dr. Kathure noted that the cuts would affect the development of policies and guidelines necessary to guide healthcare workers in implementing the new treatment models. Training of frontline health personnel, she added, would also be compromised.
The programme is currently scaling up modern diagnostic technologies, including digital X-rays and near point-of-care testing that utilises both sputum and oral swabs. These innovations are expected to enhance early detection and expand access to services at primary healthcare and community levels.
However, Dr Kathure cautioned that deploying these technologies requires substantial investment in capacity building for both healthcare workers and community health promoters.
“Advocacy, communication and awareness creation will also be affected. TB disproportionately affects men, and we must invest in targeted messaging to reduce stigma and improve access to care,” she told the committee.
Seme MP Hon (Dr.) James Nyikal, who chairs the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Health acknowledged the concerns, noting that the funding shortfall could disrupt essential public health programmes.
Nandi Woman Representative Hon. Cynthia Muge pressed for answers over reports that staff working under TB programmes had gone without pay for up to 21 months and lacked health insurance cover.
“There is a serious outcry from workers who are central to this programme. Without them, implementation will stall. We need clarity on their status and the challenges they are facing,” she said.
Her concerns highlighted broader systemic challenges facing the programme, including human resource constraints that could further weaken service delivery.
Chuka Igambang’ombe MP Hon. Patrick Munene warned that continued reductions in funding for TB, malaria and HIV programmes could erode years of progress.
“Every time we reduce funding for these diseases, we risk losing the gains we have made. Eventually, even the investments already made will go to waste,” he said.
Mr. Munene criticised what he termed as disproportionate allocation of resources towards infrastructure at the expense of disease control programmes.
“We are over-concentrating on construction while systems are breaking down. We have buildings, but the disease burden remains high. Public health funding must be prioritised,” he added.
Nyeri Town MP Hon. Duncan Mathenge, a member of the parliamentary TB caucus, called for increased domestic resource mobilisation to bridge funding gaps and accelerate efforts towards eliminating TB.
He also raised concerns over the lack of nutritional support for TB patients, noting that poor nutrition contributes to treatment failure and the rise of drug-resistant TB.
“Many patients cannot adhere to medication because they lack adequate nutrition. This is a key factor driving multi-drug resistance and must be addressed as part of the programme,” he said.
The committee signalled its support for the restoration of funding, with members emphasising that sustained investment is critical to safeguarding public health and achieving long-term disease control targets.
By Anthony Solly
