Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
Senior Health Reporter
The National AIDS Council (NAC) is engaging Parliamentarians on the need to strengthen domestic financing for the HIV response as declining external funding continues to put increasing pressure on the AIDS Levy.
Speaking during a Parliamentarian HIV and AIDS sensitisation meeting in Kadoma today, NAC Monitoring and Evaluation director Mr Amon Mpofu, who is representing chief executive officer Dr Bernard Madzima, said the levy remained critical but was no longer sufficient to meet the growing demands of the national response.
“While the AIDS Levy has been resilient over the years, it seems inadequate given the demands of the response, particularly at this moment,” he said.
“HIV is associated with various non-communicable diseases and related health conditions, and integrating these into the national response has further increased pressure on the AIDS Levy.”
Mr Mpofu said international support, particularly from the Global Fund to fight HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria, remained vital but should complement increased domestic resources.
He urged Parliamentarians to support expanded domestic financing, policy and legislative reforms to protect the gains already recorded in the HIV response.
