adminPortfolio Committee on Health and Child Welfare heard yesterday.
Appearing before the committee, Country Co-ordinating Mechanism for Global Fund Co-ordinator in Zimbabwe, Mr Rangarirai Chiteure said the new requirement had been communicated to all stakeholders.
MPs however, criticised Government for delegating its responsibilities to donors by failing to allocate enough resources to health programmes.
Said Mr Chiteure: “The Global Fund has already indicated that for Round 11 applications, Government will have to show a commitment of meeting at least five percent of the total applications.
“This requirement has been made clear the world over and five percent is the minimum for low income countries like Zimbabwe.
“Currently, Zimbabwe applies for Tuberculoses, HIV and Health Systems Strengthening assistance,” he said.
Mr Chiteure said under Round Eight Phase One for 2010 and 2011 alone, Global Fund allocated about US$28 million for TB drugs while Government provided US$200 000 for TB medicines.
“For malaria, Global Fund allocated about US$33 million and the Government provided US$1,2 million.
“Global Fund provided about US$85 million for HIV and Aids while the Government allocated US$400 000,” he said.
Mr Chiteure said the call for Round 11 applications were expected to open on August 15 and close on December 15 this year.
“The outcome will be known after the Global Fund board meeting in April or May 2012 while implementation is expected to start in January 2013,” he said.
Appearing before the same committee director of finance in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Mr Leonard Mabandi and principal director for preventive services, Dr Gibson Mhlanga said
Government was giving too much responsibility to donors.
“It is not the way things should be going, Government is giving responsibility to donors and it sends wrong signals to the donor community. For HIV and Aids allocations, it is clear that there is almost nothing, we can barely buy anything with that money. It leaves us in a weaker position.
“It is fortunate that there is Aids levy otherwise we would be in a wrong position. The allocation we got is just a drop in the ocean,” Dr Mhlanga said.
Committee chairperson, Dr David Parirenyatwa said it was not proper for Government to rely on foreign funding.
“Global Fund is supposed to supplement the Government and not the other way round. How can we give responsibilities to donors?
“Government should be in a position to provide resources for its health projects,” Dr Parirenyatwa said.
Mr Mabandi said his Ministry had submitted a budget proposal of US$535 million to the Ministry of Finance but was allocated US$256 million.
“Out of that allocation, only US$91,5 million has been received. We have challenges in the institution because we are not getting disbursements we would have wanted.
“Disbursements are not meeting requirements of the Ministry,” he said.
Mr Mabandi said his ministry was finding it difficult to get medical equipment because suppliers want advance payments.
“Government has already made it clear that (there will be) no advance payments because of the experiences we have had before where suppliers are given advance payment and fail to deliver.
“We had discussions with the suppliers to say come up with bank guarantees but some of them cannot get the guarantees,” he said.
Online Reporter