admin
Herald Reporters
HIV and Aids activists and service organisations have hailed First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa for joining the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/Aids (OAFLA), saying the development will go a long way in advocating for HIV and Aids issues in the country.
In separate interviews conducted by The Herald yesterday, the activists said challenges facing the HIV sector required advocacy at high levels just like what happens in other countries. The national HIV response is facing a myriad of challenges ranging from interrupted supply of medicines, foreign currency allocations, emergency of newer strains characterised by drug resistance and emergency of non-communicable diseases such as cancer.
HIV and Aids thematic committee chairperson Senator Lilian Timveous said the desire to contribute towards initiatives aimed at saving peoples’ lives was the way to go for the First Lady. Sen Timveous said the thematic committee on HIV has been to various communities and witnessed challenges faced by these communities and particularly women in terms of access to HIV services and information.
“In some facilities, people living with HIV are still required to pay user fees, which is a barrier to accessing services. We still hear complaints of drug stock-outs for various reasons and emergency of cancer as an opportunistic infection in people living with HIV. We anticipate that the coming in of the First Lady will go a long way in addressing some of these challenges,” said Sen Timveous.
National Aids Council executive director Dr Tapuwa Magure commended the First Lady’s commitment saying NAC would support her to implement her vision. SAfAIDS communications manager Mrs Tariro Makanga-Chikumbirike said with the First Lady’s commitment shown so far, they were positive that the country’s interventions would receive the support it deserved.
“It was heart-warming to hear her articulating the 2030 agenda of ending AIDS by 2030. With such commitment from her, we are positive that the country’s interventions will receive the necessary support as we feel that whatever they would have shared on their high level platforms, she will come and ensure that it is translated into action on the ground,” said Mrs Makanga-Chikumbirike.
She implored the First Lady to speak about stigma within communities whenever she interacts with them saying it was an issue that could hinder progress towards achieving some of the country’s targets. Seke Rural Hospice director Mrs Veronica Kanyongo-Ngwerume said there was a lot of excitement from the HIV sector following the latest development.
“I admire what the First Lady is doing, her commitment is real and there is a lot of excitement from our sector,’’ she said.
She urged the First Lady to consider assisting with mobilisation of resources for community based organisations for effective programming at community level. HIV activist, Ms Tendayi Kateketa, described the First Lady’s gesture as exceptional, saying it as a first in the country.
“This development is exciting, we commend the First Lady in playing a national and international advocacy role in fighting against HIV and Aids. We want her to be an ambassador for HIV and Aids and we hope she will be able to link us with prospective funders for us to be able to go into communities and engage with affected women,” said Ms Kateketa.
The First Lady pledged to lead the country’s fight against HIV and Aids at the just ended 20th OAFLA, which took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. OAFLA is a non governmental, not-for-profit organisation founded in 2002, by African First Ladies to increase their capacity in advocating for effective solutions in responding to HIV and Aids.
Online Reporter