Financial Gazette (Harare)
Zhean Gwaze
29 November 2007
THIRTY-FOUR year old Nqobani is usually optimistic and upbeat. But the worsening economic woes in Zimbabwe are making the burden unbearable for the HIV-positive father of three.
"I always thought that I would continue living a normal life, but the situation is perpetually changing, especially the cost of medication. It baffles me to hear that the theme for this year's commemorations (for World Aids Day) is 'leadership'. I wonder whether there is any hope for people like me," Nqobani says.
"Leadership; Keep the promise. Stop Aids" is the universal theme for the 2007 World Aids Day commemorations on December 1.
Zimbabwe has adopted a sub theme: "Leadership; lets all take the lead in HIV/Aids prevention and care".
Lindiwe Chaza-Jangira, director of Zimbabwe Aids Network, a coalition of organisations working on HIV and Aids in the country, says the theme must be demonstrated at every level to get ahead of the disease.
The commemorations cap a year in which Zimbabwe announced a decline in HIV incidence rates to 15.6 percent for adults between the ages of 15-49 years in 2007, down from 18 percent last year.
In a statement applauding this rare achievement, the United Nations Development Programme country office said overall HIV prevalence among antenatal clinic attendees (pregnant women) decreased from 25.7 percent in 2002 to 21.3 percent (2004) and to 17.7 percent in 2006.
At the government level, Zimbabwe has shown leadership commitment through the establishment of the HIV/Aids and TB unit, headed by Owen Mugurungi, under the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, and the Zimbabwe National HIV and Aids Strategic Plan (2006-2010) administered by the National Aids Council.
However, although these are signs of improved government commitment, the number of people on anti-retroviral treatment (ART) remains low.
Mugurungi said recently that the government plans to increase the number of people on ART from the current 90 000 to 180 000 by 2008,and aims to achieve universal access by 2010.
He, however, pointed out that the universal target might not be achieved by 2010 because of funding challenges.
There are 1.6 million HIV positive Zimbabweans and 300 000 are in need of treatment.
Mugurungi said although the government had scored successes in advocacy for the use of condoms, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and a marked reduction in prevention of mother to child transmission, HIV and Aids was still the biggest challenge the country faced.
At least 2 500 deaths are recorded per week from HIV/Aids related illness.
Zimbabwe's economic woes continue to weaken an overburdened health delivery system, with this month's increases in doctors' consultation fees moving basic medical care even further beyond the reach of most.
An inflation rate of about 14,000 percent has seen the cost of medical tests, such as CD4 count, important for monitoring the virus, rise to above $14 million.
"It's unaffordable, yet it is necessary for you to know how you are responding to ART," said Nqobani.
A parliamentary report has pointed out that the health sector continues to decline, citing strikes by health personnel, the brain drain, ageing equipment and infrastructure, incomplete projects, a lack of drugs and the inaccessibility of health services, especially at primary level, and the collapse of the referral system.
The private sector has in the past not shown much commitment vis-à-vis the pandemic, despite the existence of the Zimbabwe Business Council on Aids.
However, the Zimbabwe National Strategic Framework for the Private Sector Response to HIV and AIDS, which aims to step up private sector participation in the fight against AIDS, was to be launched.
But Zimbabwe's economic and political crisis is one of the biggest threats to sustaining its successes.
Recently, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria once again rejected a request from Zimbabwe for aid.
The Global Fund has turned down Zimbabwean proposals in five of seven funding rounds to date, citing the "technical shortcomings" of the proposals.
Zimbabwe is also one of many African countries yet to meet the terms of the Abuja Declaration, under which African leaders pledged to allocate 15 percent of their national budgets to health.
Only one-third of African countries are spending over 10 percent.
The Clinton Foundation and the Bill Gates Foundation are among organisations that have shown commitment with regard to the scourge, and in Zimbabwe, the Clinton Foundation has provided funding towards treatment for children.
However, Jangira stressed that the country should not rely solely on foreign aid, but prioritise its own resources to fight the scourge.
Experts say Zimbabwe should help boost production at the only two producers of ARVs, Varichem and CAPS.
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