ABOUT 100 People Living With HIV (PLHIV) yesterday stormed the National Aids Council (NAC) offices in Harare, accusing the secretariat of abusing resources and implored the Anti-Corruption Commission to launch investigations into the procurement of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) by top NAC officials.Report by Kupakwashe Makonye, Own Correspondent
Spokesperson for the demonstrators Joao Zangaroti accused NAC officials of engaging in speculative activities using the organisation’s funds at the expense of HIV patients.
“We call upon the Anti-Corruption Commission to step up its investigations into ARVs procurement by NAC to establish if there is evidence of corruption and kickbacks, locally and across our borders . . . All of NAC’s 800+ employees are getting a minimum of $3 000 loans to purchase vehicles and housing stands,” Zangaroti said.
He also accused NAC of unilaterally increasing user fees, thereby blocking HIV patients from poor backgrounds from accessing treatment.
NAC is an organisation enacted through an Act of Parliament to co-ordinate and facilitate the national multi-sectoral response to HIV and Aids and to administer the National Aids Trust Fund whose monies are collected through the 3% Aids Levy deducted from workers.
Contacted for comment, NAC spokesperson Madeline Dube said most of the grievances raised by the demonstrators would best be addressed by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare.
