THE Health and Child Care ministry in conjunction with its partners yesterday launched a $65 million project which will result in the training of over 8 000 health workers over the next five years.
Feluna Nleya
The ministry will be working in collaboration with International Training and Education Centre for Health (I-TECH), Zimbabwe Association of Church-Related Hospitals (ZACH) and other partners on three programmes to build local capacity and provide comprehensive services to combat HIV and Aids in Zimbabwe.
Director for Aids and TB Unit in the ministry Owen Mugurungi said the launch would help the country fight against HIV and Aids. “This meeting is an important event in our fight against HIV and Aids through the launch of this important and strategic support to HIV response in Zimbabwe,” Mugurungi said.
“The HIV and Aids epidemic remains one of the most serious problems my ministry is facing, with over 1,3 million adults and children living with HIV.”
He said HIV conditions still accounted for about 47% of the disease burden the health facilities were encountering on a daily basis. I-TECH and other partners would support the training and mentoring programme that seeks to develop and deliver comprehensive in-service training on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services. Health workers would receive refresher trainings through distance-learning technologies.
Speaking at the same event, United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe Bruce Wharton said due to the recently adopted and adapted 2013 World Health Organisation HIV Consolidated Guidelines the number of people on ART is set to increase and hence more training and clinical mentorship was needed to ensure quality services.
