KWEKWE — The Zimbabwe HIV and Aids Activists’ Union (ZHAAU) has rapped the government for being insensitive to the plight of people living with HIV and Aids following a paltry $175,3 million allocation to the health sector in the 2013 National Budget. REPORT BY BLESSED MHLANGA STAFF REPORTER
Addressing delegates attending a National Aids Council HIV and Aids consultative meeting in Kwekwe on Tuesday, ZHAAU vice-president Stanley Takaona said the health allocation was inadequate.
Takaona presented a report portraying a limping health delivery system reeling from massive underfunding, understaffing, lack of critical machinery and drug shortages, while top government officials cruised around in top-of-the-range vehicles.
“In Gwanda district, 80% of OI (opportunistic infections) patients are suffering from side effects, but it appears that nothing is being done about it. There are no doctors except clinical officers who don’t have time to counsel patients. They are overwhelmed,” Takaona said.
Speaking at the same occasion, Mpilo Hospital house medical officer Takunda Madziva said the public had lost confidence in the public health delivery system due to inadequate funding and had now resorted to consulting traditional healers.
“The country has not prioritised the health system and as a result people have lost faith in the system, and have now turned to sangomas or herbs which might even affect their health,” Madziva said.
The government recently came under criticism for splashing over $40 million on top-of-the-range ministerial cars while service delivery standards at public institutions continued to plummet due to underfunding.
