NEW American Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pamela Tremont has allayed fears of a condom crisis which had been fuelled by government's revelation that the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was set to end its 20 year long funding.

Online platform Health Times quoted Health Ministry's HIV Prevention Coordinator Gertrude Ncube saying PEPFAR had indicated that it will stop funding for the purchase of "maDeMbare" condoms starting 2026.

"As we are here gathered as government, civil society and partners, let us know that our condom funding is at stake and PEPFAR has already told us that from 2026, there won't be any condoms funded by them," said Ncube.

"We need as a country to look at how best we mobilise even domestic funding actually to fund condoms."

Ncube blamed donor fatigue for the move.

With PEPFAR accounting for 77% of all condom funding in Zimbabwe, its exit could have created a crisis that was expected to scatter commendable achievements realised in the fight against HIV.

Speaking to journalists at the US Embassy's delayed Independence celebrations, Tremont said they were now in discussions with their partners to continue their programme.

"PEPFAR is not exiting in the foreseeable future," said Tremont.

"It was an emergency response so we are looking to our PEPFAR partners to start looking at the sustainability of the programme."