Published by the government of Zimbabwe
31 July 2008
Harare — GOVERNMENT has received 22 chemistry analysers worth US$500 000 under the Global Fund to Fight HIV and Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria round five.
In an interview, National Aids Council director Dr Tapiwa Magure said the machines are vital for doctors in conducting investigations on the functioning of body organs.
"Chemistry analysers determine whether a patient's body organs such as the kidney, heart and liver are fit and can tolerate anti-retroviral drugs without causing complications," Dr Magure said.
He said NAC, as a recipient of GFATM funding to Zimbabwe, has also purchased 22 haematology analysers used in investigating patients' blood counts before they are put on anti-retroviral treatment and the machines are in the process of being distributed.
Last year, NAC purchased CD4 count machines for its districts.
Dr Magure said all the machines would result in the reduction of the travelling distance and waiting period for patients requiring ART.
In the past, patients were referred to provincial hospitals for various tests such as CD4 count, blood count and body organ functioning since they are prerequisite to ART.
However, this would prolong patient's waiting period as they struggled to raise money for travelling and wait to undergo the tests.
Although the country's HIV and Aids programmes are under-funded with each person living with HIV and Aids receiving at least US$4 a month compared to an average of US$200 in other countries, Zimbabwe's HIV and Aids prevalence is continuing to decline.
Currently, the country's prevalence rate stands at 15,1 percent down from 18,1 percent in 2005.
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