No More Free Condoms as Donors Scale Down
Donors have reportedly started scaling down support to HIV response measures.
No More Free Condoms as Donors Scale Down
Zimbabweans have been told to prepare to buy condoms as donors have reportedly started scaling down support to HIV response measures.
This was revealed by National Aids Council (NAC) representative Abraham Ncube during the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union's Gwanda regional meeting held recently.
He said 3% was being deducted from workers' salaries as AIDS Levy with 50% of the deductions going towards the procurement of anti-retrovirals (ARVs). Ncube said:
“This is not enough and it is being supplemented by donors who then come in such as Global Fund and other international donors who come with other funds to procure ARVs as well as some prevention commodities like condoms.
No More Free Condoms as Donors Scale Down
“Maybe we need to be aware that donors are now scaling down in general in terms of supporting the HIV response. Meaning to say where we thought we were entitled to free condoms, maybe it's about time we should start thinking of having a condom budget as responsible people.
“That if you are a man and say at my home there are no condoms, well that is food for thought. We need to come out of that dependence syndrome and think in terms of us being independent.”
Ncube said part of the Aids Levy was used to acquire ARVs while the remainder was used for other response programmes such as prevention activities.
Donors' Withdrawal: Zim Needs $10 million for Condoms
“I am sure you have met NAC people teaching about HIV and I know that other mines have peer Aids education programmes where they are working with NAC to educate workers on HIV.”
