Growth of Aids Levy Fund is good news

million in 2010 and this year they expect the figure to reach US$30 million.
This is a great achievement when considered in the light of an economy that is not yet fully back on its feet as well as high unemployment figures.
As international donor funding for HIV programmes is threatened by the cutbacks and restructuring of the Global Fund system, there is no better time for the country to be actively moving towards self-sustenance.
In light of that observation, NAC, Government and all other stakeholders including local organisations and individuals should be actively pushing towards sustainable full cover of the country’s HIV programmes.
Even as NAC takes a bow for a job well done, the question on everyone’s lips should be, “How can we take this success to the highest level?”
Reliance on donor funding is never a good idea as at times the recipient is forced to accede to certain conditions which may be in conflict with their interests and culture.
The other reason is that funding is often linked to specific programmes which may not be of primary importance at that time. But if we have our own resources then we can make the best decisions based on the situation on the ground rather than theories advanced by people whose knowledge is based on statistics and second hand reports rather than actual experience of the situation.
It is not a secret that in many developed countries HIV is mostly a problem of fringe groups like gay communities and drug addicts whereas in Africa, it is something that has impacted on all demographic groups.
Thus the methods devised by those countries may not necessarily be the best for us as HIV has hit the core of the society, affecting the family, church, employment and all other spheres of existence.
But if we have no funding of our own then we will be just forced to adopt whatever we are told is the best.
The introduction of the National Aids Levy in itself showed immense innovation and the desire to deal with the problem of HIV on our own terms as a country.
It is an idea that others have copied because for any country that has to deal with a high HIV burden it is the only solution.
We have called for the expansion of the collection base through the inclusion of the informal sector where some people are earning far much more than those in formal employment.
We have suggested the VAT-based collection system as the only way to ensure that everyone contributes to this very important fund in order to strengthen it.
We still recommend that the authorities should reconsider their decision to reject this method. In a few years time when the assistance from the Global Fund dries up, they will see the importance of raising as much money as is possible.
NAC has announced that they expect to initiate a further 70 000 people on ART by the end of the year and this is really great news, especially for those who are on the waiting lists to start receiving ARVs.
But at this point we would also like to point out that while we applaud the increased capacity by NAC to procure life-saving drugs for those living with HIV, the need to press for an HIV-free future is also of primary importance and should not be relegated to the background.
Programmes like prevention of mother to child transmission, male circumcision and awareness campaigns should also receive adequate funding and publicity to reduce new infections as far as possible.
It is only when we have the targeted zero new cases that we can start providing quality palliative care for the affected to ensure that they enjoy long and healthy lives.
Then there is also the need to stop passing the buck on local production of ARVs as imports may in the long run prove unsustainable. The excuse that local pharmaceuticals priced themselves out of the market is no longer acceptable several years down the line.
Some countries are now boosting their economies through the production of generic ARVs while we continue to spend our meagre resources on buying from them instead of empowering ourselves.
The country already has the required technology and skills to produce generic ARVs and we even export paediatric ARVs. Therefore it is not an insurmountable leap to imagine a position where we can easily be manufacturing our own first line drugs.
If necessary, NAC should look at acquiring their own labs to supply the public system to ensure that those who are most vulnerable are not exposed to the vagaries of the international donor community.