ZIMBABWE – Harare – 11 January 2010 (The Standard) - THE National Aids Council, under fire for holding onto funds collected through the Aids Levy while hundreds of people in need of life-prolonging drugs die prematurely, has bought Antiretroviral Drugs (ARVs) worth US$1,8 million to increase access to treatment, an official has said.

NAC also bought four CD4 cell count machines that will be given to Harare, Parirenyatwa, Mpilo and United Bulawayo central hospitals using proceeds from the Aids Levy.

In addition, the council procured about 150 000 HIV test kits which it handed over to the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare on Wednesday.
NAC has also handed over about 9 000 test kits, 54 000 condoms and various other support materials to the ministry that were sourced from the Aids Health Care Foundation.

The organisation extended its support to Zimbabwe as part of its global "Test Millions" campaign.

Handing over the drugs and other support materials to government last week, NAC board vice-chairman, Dr Phineas Makurira said since the country switched to multiple currencies, the levy had started making a "significant contribution to the lives of people living with HIV".

"As you are all aware, the years 2007 and 2008 were punctuated by an unfriendly economic environment with very high levels of inflation," Makurira said.

"As a result the Aids Levy although very high in figurative terms, was virtually of no value and as such the NAC was unable to procure commodities in support of the health delivery system."

However, Makurira said the levy collections remained very low because not many people were gainfully employed.

Health and Child Welfare minister, Dr Henry Madzorera said the move by NAC would quell persistent rumours about the misuse of the levy.

"This allocation and the subsequent arrival of some of the items is testimony that the Aids Levy is reaching the people of Zimbabwe," Madzorera said in a speech read on his behalf by his permanent secretary, Dr Gerald Gwinji.
"This will hopefully engender public confidence in the National Aids Council and how it is administered particularly in view of recent negative press reports that cast doubt on the amount of ARVs bought."

The World Aids Day campaign theme for 2009-2010 is Universal Access to treatment, care and prevention: a human right.

In Zimbabwe the treatment gap is huge with only 180 000 of the 600 000 people in need of ARVs accessing the life-saving drugs.

Writer – Bertha Shoko
On;ine at : http://allafrica.com/stories/201001110458.html