Zimbabweans to buy their own condoms?

Donors have reportedly started scaling down their support for HIV response measures in Zimbabwe, raising concerns that essential resources like condoms may no longer be provided for free in the near future. This revelation came from National Aids Council (NAC) representative Abraham Ncube during a regional meeting of the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union held in Gwanda.

Ncube, speaking to mine workers, highlighted that the current 3% deduction from workers' salaries, known as the Aids Levy, is insufficient to meet the country's HIV response needs. While 50% of the Aids Levy is allocated towards the procurement of anti-retrovirals (ARVs), the remaining amount is used to support various prevention initiatives, including the provision of condoms. However, he noted that much of the funding for these efforts still comes from international donors, including the Global Fund.

"Donors are scaling down in general in terms of supporting the HIV response," Ncube said. "Meaning to say, where we thought we were entitled to free condoms, maybe it's about time we should start thinking of having a condom budget as responsible people."

He urged Zimbabweans to shift away from a dependence on donor support and begin considering their personal responsibility in HIV prevention, including budgeting for condoms. "If you are a man and say at my home there are no condoms, well, that is food for thought. We need to come out of that dependence syndrome and think in terms of us being independent," he added.

Ncube also explained that part of the Aids Levy is used to acquire ARVs, while the remainder funds other HIV response activities such as education and prevention programs. "I am sure you have met NAC people teaching about HIV, and I know that other mines have peer AIDS education programs where they are working with NAC to educate workers on HIV," he said.

Meanwhile, Munyaradzi Sidakwa, a representative from Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, emphasized the importance of personal responsibility when it comes to health. "It is important that all of us take seriously issues of our health," he said. "The rest of us will come to you to make sure that we provide the services, but it is you who is the owner of the body who needs to take the first step to ensure that you are healthy."

Sidakwa also highlighted concerns about the high levels of alcohol and substance abuse among miners, particularly those in the informal sector, which contribute to higher risks of sexually transmitted infections and HIV. "One thing that will be noted is that there is a lot of alcohol, substance use, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV. Those health risks are quite higher in the mining sector compared to others. Therefore, I urge you to play your part, and we play our part as stakeholders to ensure that we are all healthy," he urged.

As donor funding decreases, both local authorities and individuals are being called upon to step up efforts to ensure sustainable HIV prevention and treatment initiatives, with an emphasis on personal responsibility and community-based action.