BY VANESSA GONYE GLOBAL Fund Advocates in Zimbabwe focal person, Itai Rusike yesterday expressed fear that the gains achieved in combating HIV, TB and malaria risk being eroded as focus has shifted to fighting COVID-19.
In his remarks at the ongoing International Conference on Aids and Sexually-transmitted infections in Africa (Icasa), Rusike said the COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the fight against other ailments.
“African countries face the three-fold challenge of responding to and mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic, while striving to sustain the response of essential health services, HIV, TB and malaria, and at the same time experiencing a significant economic shock,” Rusike said.
“In addition to the economic shock, health systems across Africa have experienced significant disruptions. The pandemic has demonstrated the costs of fragile health systems and precarious safety nets.”
Rusike said the Global Fund’s intervention had saved more than 44 million lives since 2002.
“While there has been significant progress recorded over the past 20 years, these gains are at serious risk of massive negation on the occasion of the challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
Hwange South MP Daniel Molokela (MDC Alliance), in his presentation, said there was need for a “sustainable financial model for Africa” in the fight against HIV, TB and malaria.
“Investments that have been made by the Global Fund are in complete contrast to what African governments have done. We have to work together with parliamentarians across Africa to make sure that we start to invest more on social welfare issues,” he said.
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