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Zimbabwe gets US$61,5m under US' Aids bridge plan
2 hrs ago |
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Zimbabwe's fight against HIV and Aids has received a major lifeline after the United States government approved a US$61.5 million bridge plan under the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) to sustain ongoing life-saving programmes across the country.
The Pepfar bridge plan is a special mechanism designed to prevent disruptions to HIV services in partner countries during periods of funding uncertainty or delays in regular grant cycles. It is a temporary measure aimed at maintaining critical support while long-term funding arrangements are finalised.
The announcement was made last Thursday by officials from the US embassy in Zimbabwe during the inception meeting for the Zimbabwe National HIV and Aids Strategic Plan (ZNASP V), which will guide the country's HIV response for the next five years.
ZNASP is a multi-sectoral framework that coordinates prevention, treatment, care and support services. The latest phase builds on the progress made under ZNASP IV (2021–2025) and focuses on enhancing access to treatment, addressing stigma, and improving service delivery at community level.
Representatives from development partners, civil society organisations and the government attended the meeting, which underscored the importance of sustained partnerships amid tightening global aid budgets.
Matthews Maruva from the US embassy said the bridge plan will prioritise essential antiretroviral medicines (ARVs), community-based interventions, and health worker support to ensure continuity of services.
"Out of the US$61.5 million budget, after accounting for US$16.4 million for commodities, about 63% is dedicated to supporting frontline health workers," Maruva said. "This covers around 1 800 facility-level staff - including nurses, laboratory technicians, testing and counselling providers, specimen transport riders, and social workers. The remaining 6 500 are community health workers who play a vital role in the HIV response."
He added that the plan would place particular emphasis on improving treatment outcomes for children living with HIV, who often face greater barriers to care than adults.
The intervention comes at a critical juncture after earlier warnings that the US might freeze or delay parts of its global foreign aid support - raising concerns about possible treatment gaps in countries like Zimbabwe, where Pepfar funding has been central to the HIV response.
US embassy assistance director Josephine Francisco said continued collaboration and accountability were key to sustaining results. "Recipient governments must co-invest in these efforts and include performance benchmarks that we will agree upon together," she said. "These benchmarks must be met before the release of US healthcare assistance."
Francisco confirmed that the Pepfar bridge plan will run until March 2026.
Over the years, Zimbabwe has been one of Pepfar's success stories, recording major progress in expanding access to ARVs, reducing new infections, and moving closer to the UNAids 95-95-95 targets - ensuring that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those diagnosed are on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.
However, government officials and health partners at the meeting emphasised the need to strengthen domestic health financing to protect gains made under donor-funded programmes.
"We gather today in challenging times," said Owen Mugurungi, director of Aids and TB in the Ministry of Health and Child Care. "While our work is not yet finished, the support we have been receiving from partners has diminished due to global funding shifts. We need to show the world that we are ready to safeguard and maintain the gains we have achieved."
Mugurungi said Zimbabwe is now on the brink of achieving the 95-95-95 targets and urged stakeholders to maintain momentum. "Our people living with HIV are now thriving," he said. "This is not a small achievement - it is a victory we must preserve by ensuring that we do not lose the progress made over the past years."
The Pepfar bridge plan is a special mechanism designed to prevent disruptions to HIV services in partner countries during periods of funding uncertainty or delays in regular grant cycles. It is a temporary measure aimed at maintaining critical support while long-term funding arrangements are finalised.
The announcement was made last Thursday by officials from the US embassy in Zimbabwe during the inception meeting for the Zimbabwe National HIV and Aids Strategic Plan (ZNASP V), which will guide the country's HIV response for the next five years.
ZNASP is a multi-sectoral framework that coordinates prevention, treatment, care and support services. The latest phase builds on the progress made under ZNASP IV (2021–2025) and focuses on enhancing access to treatment, addressing stigma, and improving service delivery at community level.
Representatives from development partners, civil society organisations and the government attended the meeting, which underscored the importance of sustained partnerships amid tightening global aid budgets.
Matthews Maruva from the US embassy said the bridge plan will prioritise essential antiretroviral medicines (ARVs), community-based interventions, and health worker support to ensure continuity of services.
"Out of the US$61.5 million budget, after accounting for US$16.4 million for commodities, about 63% is dedicated to supporting frontline health workers," Maruva said. "This covers around 1 800 facility-level staff - including nurses, laboratory technicians, testing and counselling providers, specimen transport riders, and social workers. The remaining 6 500 are community health workers who play a vital role in the HIV response."
He added that the plan would place particular emphasis on improving treatment outcomes for children living with HIV, who often face greater barriers to care than adults.
The intervention comes at a critical juncture after earlier warnings that the US might freeze or delay parts of its global foreign aid support - raising concerns about possible treatment gaps in countries like Zimbabwe, where Pepfar funding has been central to the HIV response.
US embassy assistance director Josephine Francisco said continued collaboration and accountability were key to sustaining results. "Recipient governments must co-invest in these efforts and include performance benchmarks that we will agree upon together," she said. "These benchmarks must be met before the release of US healthcare assistance."
Francisco confirmed that the Pepfar bridge plan will run until March 2026.
Over the years, Zimbabwe has been one of Pepfar's success stories, recording major progress in expanding access to ARVs, reducing new infections, and moving closer to the UNAids 95-95-95 targets - ensuring that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those diagnosed are on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.
However, government officials and health partners at the meeting emphasised the need to strengthen domestic health financing to protect gains made under donor-funded programmes.
"We gather today in challenging times," said Owen Mugurungi, director of Aids and TB in the Ministry of Health and Child Care. "While our work is not yet finished, the support we have been receiving from partners has diminished due to global funding shifts. We need to show the world that we are ready to safeguard and maintain the gains we have achieved."
Mugurungi said Zimbabwe is now on the brink of achieving the 95-95-95 targets and urged stakeholders to maintain momentum. "Our people living with HIV are now thriving," he said. "This is not a small achievement - it is a victory we must preserve by ensuring that we do not lose the progress made over the past years."
Source - The Standard
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