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Global HIV/Aids fund snubs Zimbabwe
Bertha Shoko, The Standard (Zimbabwe)
July 25, 2004

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/skinned/front_reader.asp?st_id=4609

The Global Fund has turned down Zimbabwe’s HIV/Aids fourth application for funding, throwing into disarray the country’s plans to scale up Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) to its more than 1,8 million adults and children living with the HIV/Aids.

The Global fund is an independent organisation set up to mobilise resources for the fight against malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/Aids throughout the world.

It consists of representatives from donor and recipient governments, non-governmental organisations and the private sector, philanthropic foundations and affected communities.

Sources close to the Fund said Zimbabwe’s application for US$218 million for HIV/Aids intervention programme, had been turned down by the fund which approved grants to the tune of US$968 million for other countries.

These included Zambia which was granted US$254 million, Tanzania US$293 m and Kenya which got US$186 m.

Dr David Parirenyatwa, the Minister of Health and Child Welfare who is also chairman of the Country Coordinating Mechanism for the Global Fund, confirmed to The Standard that the country’s funding proposal had not been approved.

"Yes, our proposal was turned down and we know it is very political. These are the sanctions that anti-government organisations and the MDC are calling for and this has resulted in a humanitarian proposal being turned down.

"I am very angry about it because many people are going to die because of these heartless people. I don’t want to speak any further," said Parirenyatwa, who sounded dejected, before switching off his phone.

HIV/Aids activists say the move, which might have come about as a result of the government’s infamous record of lawlessness and repression, is going to set back various intervention programmes in Zimbabwe unless some donors stepped in to assist the country.

"Zimbabwe is not likely to provide a large scale and sustained programme of ARV for HIV positive people," said one of the HIV/Aids activists who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"The government does not have the capacity to roll out the programme on its own and unless other major donors come in, it is going to be a major disaster."

Currently, the ministry of health and child welfare is administering ARV’s from four major health institutions in the country which are Harare and Parirenyatwa hospitals in Harare and Mpilo and United Bulawayo hospitals in Bulawayo.

Government does not have the capacity to introduce the scheme to other parts of the country.

Owing to a political crisis spawned by the chaotic land reforms and violence that characterised elections, numerous donors have either left the country or withdrawn their funding from various developmental projects in the country in protest.

Zimbabwe is one of the countries that are hardest hit by HIV/Aids with an estimated adult prevalence rate of 24,6 percent as of December 2003.

The Global Fund officials could not be reached for comment at the time of going to press.

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