AN official from the National Aids Council (Nac) has expressed concern over the gap between domestic and international financing of projects, calling on the government to increase resources for Aids programmes.
The country’s domestic financing for HIV and Aids programmes currently stands at approximately 16% compared to 75% from the Global Fund.
This translates to domestic financing taking care of only around 400 000 out of 1,3 million people living with HIV, with USAid taking care of 200 000 while Global Fund takes care of the majority at 750 000 (75%).
Speaking during a Nac media workshop in Chinhoyi last week, Nac finance and administration director Albert Manenji said there was need for more domestic financing to sustain the gains made in the HIV and Aids response.“There is great need for the government to contribute more resources for HIV treatment which is very expensive,” he said.
Responding to questions from journalists, Manenji said instead of increasing the National Aids Trust Fund, commonly known as the Aids Levy, from 3% of the gross salary of those in formal employment, the government should include those in the informal sector in contributing to the fund.
“We prefer that those in the informal sector contribute something towards HIV/Aids financing, but the problem may be to agree on the method of collecting contributions,” he said.
To reduce HIV and Aids, including sexually transmission infections and high teenage pregnancies in areas where developmental projects are being undertaken like road construction, Nac proposed that 1% of budgets for such projects should go towards prevention of new infections in the areas.
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