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Conrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau
THE National Aids Council (NAC) has lauded the 2022 national budget presented by Finance And Economic Development Minister, Prof Mthuli Ncube last week.

Health and Child Care Ministry was allocated $117,7 billion which NAC believes will help to ameliorate the financial burden faced in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Speaking in Chinhoyi during the World Aids Day commemorations being held at Chinhoyi University of Technology today, NAC chief executive Dr Benard Madzima said Zimbabwe had achieved United Nations (UN) global HIV targets by 2020 in spite of shoestring budgets.

Apart from donor funding, NAC receives funds through the Aids Levy from which 50 percent is disbursed to Government for procurement of antiretroviral drugs. Dr Madzima said the funding gap was widening but the allocation of more funding to the Health and Child Care Ministry was appreciated.

He said there was a need to introduce cost-saving programmes so as to eradicate Aids by 2030. Health and Child Care Deputy Minister, Dr John Mangwiro is representing Vice President General Constantino Chiwenga (Retired) who is also the Health Minister.

In her remarks, Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mary Mliswa-Chikoka said the 97 percent of adults living with HIV in the province have access to Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART).