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Outcry over lack of ARVs for majority
The Standard (Zimbabwe)
July 30, 2006

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/viewinfo.cfm?linkid=11&id=4370

THE dawn of the treatment era in the Aids fight that has seen the advent of Anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) brought with it renewed hope to people living with HIV and Aids across the globe, but Aids activists in Zimbabwe say this hope has over the years been replaced by "anger and frustration" as many fail to access the life-saving drugs.

According to the director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and Aids UNAIDS Dr Peter Piot, one of the barriers to an effective global Aids response is the "gulf that separates the rich and poor worlds in terms of access to life prolonging HIV treatment".

In Zimbabwe access to ARVs for people living with HIV and Aids (PLWAs) in need of the life saving drugs, remains a far cry for numerous reasons with underlying factors being the political and economic situation in the country. First, is the lack of funding from the donor community for government run ARV programmes in various parts of the country that has resulted in a limited number of people accessing Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART).

Analysts have blamed this donor fatigue on the country’s bad human rights record. There are an estimated 60 000 people countrywide who are accommodated on government’s ARV programmes, compared to the
300 000 to 800 000 who are in need of the drugs.

Second, is the high cost of ARVs being sold in the private sector, now sold for over $4 million for a month’s dosage. About 120 000 people are estimated to be buying the drugs on their own in private pharmacies or outside the country. Most of these people have failed to gain access to state-run programmes.

Lastly is the issue of lack of foreign currency that has made it impossible for pharmaceutical companies such as Varichem and Caps that manufacture ARVs, to operate at full capacity. Players in the pharmaceutical industry say with full support from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, these companies have the potential to provide cheap generic drugs for Zimbabwe and the region.

It is against this background that the quest for ART in Zimbabwe has remained a major challenge for PLWAs.

Presenting a paper recently at a discussion forum, Yananiso Zhou a representative from the Zimbabwe Network of People Living Positively (ZNPP+) in Mashonaland West said many PLWAs felt betrayed by the failure by government to scale up ART.

Zhou touched the hearts of many people when she said: "The happiness, joy, jubilation and hope brought by the news of these wonder drugs has been replaced by anger, frustration, bitterness, hopelessness and depression."

Zhou said the arrival of ARVs had brought with it new attitudes about HIV and Aids and taken away the "initial panic and helplessness" that was associated with the disease. Zhou however says a lot still has to be done to ensure PLWAs access the drugs.

She said: "The initial panic and hopelessness has gradually transformed into a sense of optimism. HIV and Aids has been demystified to the extent of inspiring appropriate interventions towards its prevention, plus care and support for the infected and affected.

"But it is the advent of anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs, which revived societies from inertia and resignation to a gradual appreciation of HIV and Aids as just another chronic disease. Yet so much still needs to be done to bring people in contact with these life-saving drugs."

HIV and Aids activist Sostain Moyo from Zimbabwe Activists on HIV and Aids (ZAHA) said universal access to treatment will only become a reality when the government and other key stakeholders keep the "promises" they have made to the people.

"There is need for the civic society to establish a national and international campaign to hold our leaders accountable for their promises and commitments and ensure that they take action necessary to deliver them."

ZAHA is a coalition of Zimbabwean activists on HIV and Aids; people infected and affected individuals and organisations.

Another activist, Martha Tapfumaneyi, who is also living positively with HIV and Aids, said it was disturbing that in this treatment era, many people are continuing to die the "Aids death". She said because of limitations of the state run ARV programmes and the high prices of drugs in the private sector many people, particularly in the rural communities, had no access to ARVs.

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