Zimbabwe AIDS council under fire

Zimbabwe National AIDS Council (NAC) has been slammed for concentrating its efforts and money on training workshops, salaries, office furniture and staff cars rather than helping those living with HIV buy medicine and providing food and paying school fees for orphans, newspaper the Herald reported on Saturday.

Although the council is cutting back on practical help to those living with HIV/AIDS, it spent less than half its income last year, the report said.

According to figures form the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, the council is funded by a three percent levy on all income and company taxes, a whopping 424 million Zimbabwe dollars (1.7 million US dollars) last year , but spent just under half of the total on various disbursements.

Even though it runs a huge surplus, much of its spending is on what many see as non-essentials instead of offering practical help, especially in view of the expensive anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment.

Among the critics is Deputy Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Edwin Muguti, who sees the council's main function as providing treatment for those living with HIV/AIDS instead of organizing training workshops.

His remarks came after the NAC came under attacks from people living with HIV/AIDS for suspending care and support to them.

The NAC recently also stopped distributing food packs and home- based care kits, saying this cost too much.

"Office furniture may be important, but it is not the main reason why the National Aids Council was put in place. We want the council to focus on treatment and other programs that make life better for those living with AIDS," Muguti said.

Source: Xinhua