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More people in need of ARVs

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By Chief Editor, on December 07 2007 18:14

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Despite claims of an unsubstantiated decrease in HIV and AIDS infection rate, the government is battling to cater for the large number of people need of Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARVs), a senior government official has said.

Antiretroviral Drugs

Speaking during the World AIDS day commemorations held in the capital recently , House of Assembly speaker, John Nkomo said over 600 000 infected patients do not have access to the drugs. But other stakeholders believe this figure has been doctored, as there is a great possibility of a bigger deficit.

The figure of HIV infected people in the country is believed to be over 2 million.

Among that group fall rural women, youths and adolescents and other low income earners who tragically do not fall within the bracket of beneficiaries, and at the same time can not afford to buy the drugs.

“The deficit is bigger. The government just came with a small figure to save face,” revealed a National AIDS Council (NAC) representative who preferred anonymity.

Nkomo however said that 600 000 people need ARVs, a figure which other health experts believe has been suppressed to create a picture that the government had made great strides in the fight against the pandemic, said to be claiming at least 500 lives a day.

He said only 50 000 people are on the government’s ARV scheme; while another 100 000 are accessing the drug at their own expense.

“Zimbabwe takes its universal access targets seriously and has managed to provide ARVs to nearly 50 000 people this year alone. The number of people accessing ARVs, which is expected to reach 120 000 at the end of the year, now stands at nearly 100 000,” said Nkomo.

Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr David Parirenyatwa, also speaking at the same function, said the country does not have enough funds to buy ARVs.

“We are still looking for funds for ARVs. We have decided that half of the AIDS levy should buy the drug, and we hope that the Global Fund will give us more funds,” Parirenyatwa said.

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