US to increase HIV aid to Zimbabwe

The United States will this year increase funding for HIV/AIDS programmes in Zimbabwe, outgoing US ambassador Charles Ray said on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe's news agency New Ziana reported that the US HIV/AIDS programme is currently supporting 80,000 Zimbabweans through provision of anti-retroviral drugs, and Ray said the number of beneficiaries will increase to 140,000 this year.

The envoy said another 40,000 new patients will be added to the programme next year.

"I am proud to say that this number will increase in 2012 to a total of 140,000 patients on ARVs. And our plan is to add another 40,000 new patients in 2013," he said.

The US government is also partnering Zimbabwe to fight against malaria and other communicable diseases, as well as building the management skills of health professionals.

The pledge by the US comes at a time when at least 66,000 people living with HIV face the prospect of losing their current access to lifesaving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment because of lack of funding.

Some segments of the Zimbabwean health sector proposed that certain HIV patients pay for their treatment.

The National AIDS Council mainly receives funding for the national response to HIV and AIDS from the National AIDS Trust Fund, commonly known as the Aids levy, which was introduced by the Government in 2000 through the National AIDS Council Act Chapter 15/14 of 2000 and the donor community.

The Act mandates individuals and companies in Zimbabwe to pay three percent of their income and corporate tax towards the National AIDS Trust Fund which is used to finance various HIV/AIDS programmes. The aids levy is, however, inadequate to cater for all the people living with HIV.

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