By Chipo Gudhe
The Government of Zimbabwe has moved to calm fears over potential shortages of life-saving HIV medication by allocating US$12 million to procure anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs and other critical medicines, a move officials say will guarantee treatment supplies for thousands of patients until at least September.
Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora said the intervention comes amid growing uncertainty around international funding for key disease programmes, particularly after reports that the United States government may reduce financial support to global HIV, tuberculosis and malaria programmes.
Zimbabwe has historically relied on substantial external support for HIV programmes, with funding coming largely through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and other bilateral donors.
In an interview on the sidelines National AIDS Council media workshop in Chinhoyi yesterday, Minister Mombeshora reassured the nation that the government had already put contingency plans in place to ensure uninterrupted treatment for people living with HIV.
“We have put in place strategies to make sure that our people are not vulnerable. I want to assure the nation that we have enough stocks of ARVs for all those in need. By the end of June we will be receiving new stocks, so there is no need to panic,” said Mombeshora.
Zimbabwe has made remarkable strides in controlling the HIV epidemic over the past two decades. According to national health statistics, about 1.3 million Zimbabweans are currently living with HIV, while over 1.2 million people are receiving life-saving ARV treatment through the national programme.
The country has also achieved the globally recognised UNAIDS 95-95-95 Targets, meaning 95 percent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those diagnosed are on treatment, and 95 percent of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression.
These milestones have significantly reduced HIV-related deaths and new infections. Annual new infections have dropped from more than 120 000 in the late 1990s to roughly 20 000 per year, while AIDS-related deaths have declined dramatically due to widespread access to treatment.
However, experts warn that sustaining these gains requires a consistent supply of medication and reliable funding streams.
Minister Mombeshora said the US$12 million allocation will help bridge an emerging funding gap of about 36 percent, created by the anticipated reduction in external donor assistance.
“We are reprioritising the procurement of these drugs to make sure that there are no consequences for our people and they do not die from preventable diseases,” he said.
The government purchases ARVs in staggered batches, a procurement strategy designed to avoid stockouts and ensure continuous supply across hospitals and clinics nationwide.
“We purchase these drugs in batches so that we don’t run out. This means the additional stock of drugs will now take us up to the end of September,” Mombeshora explained.
Beyond HIV, the funding will also support treatment programmes for tuberculosis and malaria, two other diseases that remain significant public health challenges in Zimbabwe.
Officials say the latest intervention reflects government efforts to reduce reliance on donor funding and strengthen domestic financing for healthcare.
Mombeshora echoed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s self-reliance philosophy, popularly expressed through the mantra Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo (a country is built by its own people).
“We are guided by the President’s philosophy that Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo,” said Mombeshora. “If we get donors they are welcome, but they must be a bonus.”
Despite progress, health authorities acknowledge that the fight against HIV is far from over. Vulnerable populations particularly adolescents, young women and sex workers remain disproportionately affected by new infections.
Data from the National AIDS Council of Zimbabwe indicates that young women aged 15 to 24 account for a significant proportion of new HIV infections, underscoring the need for targeted prevention programmes.
To strengthen the health system further, the government is also moving toward the introduction of a National Health Insurance Scheme, which officials say will provide universal health coverage and reduce out-of-pocket costs for citizens.
“The Ministry of Finance will work out the modalities of how funds for the scheme will be raised. “The proceeds from this scheme will help equip the health sector and give every citizen health insurance,” Mombeshora said.
For the more than one million Zimbabweans who depend on daily ARV medication to survive, the latest funding allocation offers reassurance that the country’s HIV treatment programme remains firmly on course even in the face of shifting global health financing.
