Govt must engage sex workers, homosexuals in fight against Aids

Government has acknowledged the need to come up with programmes for key populations including sex workers and homosexuals as it battles to contain HIV.

Homosexuality and sex work are illegal in Zimbabwe.

The director of Aids and TB unit in the ministry, Owen Mugurungi, said there was need for the HIV programmes to provide for the groups if its efforts to reduce Aids were to be completely successful.

Mugurungi said there is need to make sure that sex workers have a right to health and they need to make sure they have access to STI, HIV and Aids programmes and it is the same issue with prisoners and others indicating that he is not saying that what they are doing is right but in as much as people would try to run away from the fact these things are there.

Meanwhile, the ministry of Health and Child Care is faced with a $100 million deficit needed to bankroll national programmes.

Owen Muzurungi, the director of Aids and TB unit in the ministry said the funding gap had widened following a two percent reduction in the money allocated to the sector in the recently announced budget.

He said last year deficit was around $44 million and they worked and managed to get money from partners and by the end of next year, they should have at least one million people on treatment, 932 000 adults 85 000 children as they are aiming on doubling children on ART so all that will entail more money especially now that they are using the single dose which is more expensive.