HIV/AIDS NGO appeals for more funding

An HIV/AIDS Non-Governmental Organisation has pleaded with its Swedish partners to consider increasing funding towards programmes aimed at cushioning the rate of the disease in the country.

Community Initiative for Malaria and HIV/AIDS executive director Carol Kachenga made the plea today when she presented a Petition to acting Ambassador David Wiking,

Kachenga stated that without greater resources devoted towards the pandemic, it will be difficult to realize some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that have to be achieved by the year 2030.

She noted that in the 13 years since the global fund was established, it has supported countries in saving millions of lives, with 8.6 million people receiving anti retro-viral therapy for HIV/AIDS, while 15 million people have been tested and treated for tuberculosis.

“We the people of living with HIV/AIDS, those affected by tuberculosis and malaria in Zambia and the African region as a whole call upon world leaders to invest in the global fund and save over 20 million lives by 2020,” she said. “In the thirteen years since it was founded, the global fund has supported countries in saving 17 million lives; 8.6 million people are currently receiving anti retro-viral therapy for HIV/AIDS.”

She said this year the global fund will be asking countries around the world for pledges to support their ongoing work. An estimation of US$13 million is required to spearhead the funding cycle that would contribute to saving up to eight million lives and avert up to 300 million infections and new cases of HIV, TB and Malaria.

She challenged governments to fully replenish the global fund as it will be critical in achieving the goal of eradicating the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Government says Zambia spends US$50 million towards the annual purchase of anti retro-viral drugs and insecticide treated mosquitoes nets.

Education deputy minister James Kapyanga has since challenged political leaders to be ambassadors of change aimed at averting the scourge of HIV and Aids.

He stressed that the support towards HIV/AIDS programmes by the global fund is needed now more that ever before, adding that as the country moves towards meeting the ambitious 2020 UNAIDS target of getting 90 percent of all people living with HIV to know their Status, 90 percent of all people diagnosed with the HIV infection should receive sustained anti retro-viral therapy.

And Swedish acting Ambassador David Wiking says the pressure that HIV activists have put on the its partners shows how important the fight is and promised to forward the petition to Stockholm for consideration.