Zimbabwe condom funding coming to an end next year

Public health practitioners are concerned about the potential reversal of progress in HIV prevention in Zimbabwe due to imminent funding shortages for condoms. National HIV Prevention Coordinator Gertrude Ncube highlighted at the HIV Prevention Partnership Forum that international funding, primarily from PEPFAR through USAID, is ending in 2026, with condom funding ceasing even earlier in 2025. Ncube emphasized the critical role of condom programming and the need to mobilize domestic funding to continue procurement.

Deputy Director of the HIV and STI Programme, Dr. Tsitsi Apollo, stressed the importance of sustaining condom availability and access, warning that failure to secure alternative funding could erode the country's achievements in HIV prevention. Dr. Apollo noted that Zimbabwe might receive less external funding if it achieves upper-middle-income status, as the Global Fund's allocation formula is based on economic standing.

To address these challenges, the government is exploring health insurance and public-private partnerships. National Aids Council Director of Programmes, Raymond Yekeye, indicated that the entire HIV response program faces sustainability issues and that the existing HIV levy covers only a fraction of the necessary funding. Yekeye emphasized the need for a comprehensive sustainability roadmap and additional financing mechanisms, such as the National Health Insurance Scheme, to support the HIV response.