Donors pledge more funds for HIV & AIDS

By Rosemary Kamanga & Ruth Chayinda

The US Government has given Zambia an additional grant worth 367 million US dollars to help control the HIV epidemic.

Health Minister ELIJAH MUCHIMA says Government working with the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief – PEPFAR will in October jointly start implementing the second year of the two-year bilateral grant agreement.

Dr. MUCHIMA says the support which is largely targeted towards scaling up and sustaining integrated HIV prevention, care and treatment programmes, has also helped to strengthen the Zambian health system through responding to other health threats.

Speaking during the HIV quarterly stakeholders meeting in Lusaka, Dr. MUCHIMA thanked the US Government for the financial and technical support Zambia continues to receive which yearly stands at $400 million each year.

He explained that through such support, the country has been able to reach its goals of HIV control.

The Minister noted that to date, Zambia has received a total of SEVEN billion United States  dollars for TB and HIV control from the U.S Government since 2004 through this initiative.

And Dr. MUCHIMA called for technical, material and financial support in helping the country intensify surveillance against Mpox which has broken out in the region.

He also expressed concern on maternity deaths in the country adding that Zambia continues to lose an average of 15 mothers from preventable causes.

And, US Charge d’Affaires LINNISA WAHID said her Government remains committed to the HIV control, with close to EIGHT million HIV tests supported by PEPFAR.

Ms. WAHID said over one million Zambians are on life saving treatment representing 96 percent estimated to be living with HIV.

She has appealed to stakeholders to review the age at which adolescents can be tested for HIV and receive treatment without parental consent.