ZIMBABWE’s National AIDS Council (NAC) has collected over US$60 million through the AIDS Levy in the past year, a significant step towards sustaining the country’s HIV response. However, with international funding cuts biting, NAC is now targeting a whopping US$200 million annually to keep life-saving programs afloat.
Speaking at the Zimbabwe National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (ZNASP) 2026-2030 validation meeting, NAC CEO Dr. Bernard Madzima emphasized the urgent need for domestic resource mobilization. “The funding cuts have had severe knockbacks on our HIV programs,” he said. “We need to find ways to sustain the gains we’ve made, especially since we’ve already achieved the 95-95-95 targets.”
The proposed US$200 million annual injection aims to ensure a self-sustaining supply chain for essential commodities like ARVs, condoms, and lab equipment. Dr. Madzima says the AIDS Levy, a 3% tax on taxable income, is projected to hit US$75 million this year, but still falls short of the required budget.
To bridge the gap, NAC is exploring other health taxes, such as sin taxes on sugar, alcohol, and cigarettes. “We are engaging parliamentarians to boost domestic funding and exploring National AIDS Insurance options,” Dr. Madzima said. “The main issue is to look at local resources, domestic resources.”
With the HIV program facing a US$140 million funding gap, Zimbabweans are being urged to support the cause. “If we don’t get funding from traditional donors, there’s a gap that needs to be filled,” Dr. Madzima said.
The AIDS Levy has been a crucial source of funding, but more needs to be done. Will Zimbabweans dig deeper to support the fight against HIV/AIDS? 🤔
Key Stats:
- US$60 million collected through AIDS Levy in the past year
- US$200 million needed annually to sustain HIV programs
- US$75 million projected AIDS Levy collection this year
- US$140 million funding gap to be filled
- 95-95-95 targets already achieved in Zimbabwe
