By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Aids Network has petitioned parliament over failure by government to settle a US$6 million debt in order to unlock US$400 million from the International Health Fund to buy Anti-retro viral drugs.
Said the deputy speaker of parliament Tsitsi Gezi:
“I have to advise the House that on the 25th of June 2019, Parliament of Zimbabwe received a Petition from the Zimbabwe Aids Network on the failure by Government to contribute US$6 million to the Global Fund in order to access US$400 million from the International Health Fund to buy Anti-retro viral drugs. The petition has been referred to the Joint Thematic and Portfolio Committees on HIV and AIDS and Health and Child Care respectively.”
Chairperson of the portfolio committee on Health and Child Care Dr Ruth Labode is on record pleading with Finance minister Professor Mthuli Ncube to settle the debt arguing that the health and welfare of people living with HIV was hanging in the balance if Zimbabwe failed to access the Health Fund whose deadline was fast approaching.
Said Labode:
This issue has been raised here twice and the minister (of Finance Mthuli Ncube) gave a response last time that he will respond and pay. Those were his words. He said he will pay and right now, we are about to lose almost US$400 million because we cannot pay US$6 million.
Madam Speaker, twice I have raised on a point of privilege that Zimbabwe committed itself to be part of the Global Fund. Right now, we are lobbying to get $20 billion to control HIV, Malaria and TB from that US$20 billion. Our share as Zimbabwe has been US$400 million. One of the things we committed ourselves to do is that we will meet our own counterpart in order for us to be able to get that US$400 million. We will produce our own share as a nation to show political commitment towards the fund, which was US$6 million.
Here we are now, we are desperate. I know there is a letter which has been written to the Speaker from the National Aids Council requesting something to be done as a matter of urgency. We have over two million people on HIV drugs and we do not spend not even one cent as a nation on HIV drugs, tinongomapiwa (we just get them for free). We desperately need to do something, US$6 million ngaitsvagiwe (it must be sourced).”