By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has expressed severe concerns over the potential impact of the United States’ planned withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) on the country’s fight against HIV/AIDS.
The US, under President Donald Trump, has signed an executive order to withdraw from the WHO, sparking fears that critical health aid to countries like Zimbabwe could be cut.
Zimbabwe relies heavily on the US’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which provides over $200 million annually to support HIV treatment and care.
Ncube, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, warned that Zimbabwe’s public health system is already under strain and that the country needs to scale up its funding for health to prepare for any potential funding gaps.
The government has recently introduced a sugar tax and fast-food tax to fund healthcare initiatives.
“Any country with an HIV/AIDS challenge will be impacted,” Ncube said.
Zimbabwe has received over $1.7 billion in health aid from the US since 2006, and nearly $90 million a year goes directly toward treating HIV and other health issues.
Zimbabwe is heavily reliant on international health support, particularly for HIV treatment and care, and the country’s health system is already struggling to cope with the ongoing pandemic of the disease.