FOOD shortages stalking Matabeleland South are severely impacting on HIV and Aids patients as malnutrition exacerbates the virus, the National Aids Council (NAC) has revealed.
ALBERT NCUBE OWN CORRESPONDENT
Matabeleland South provincial Aids co-ordinator Isaiah Abureni said most of the 46 000 people currently on anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs in the province required nutritional support, especially in rural areas.
“We have cleared the ARV waiting list and currently 46 075 are on the programme. However, the major challenge now is the shortage of food as malnutrition exacerbates HIV,” Abureni said.
Malnutrition can cause people living with HIV to develop Aids faster and decreases the effectiveness of ARVs to those receiving treatment resulting in many succumbing to death.
Most people have reportedly abandoned taking drugs due to the widespread food shortages in the province as a result of incessant droughts over the years.
Abureni said they were working with other implementing partners in providing soya beans to the most vulnerable people while at the same time teaching them to set up their own livelihood gardens to supplement their food supplies.
Matabeleland South is facing acute food shortages with reports some families in Gwanda South are going for days without eating. Provincial administrator Midard Khumalo said the Grain Marketing Board is failing to meet maize demand and has called on the government to urgently intervene and save people from looming starvation.
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Meanwhile, the Global Fund has disbursed $21,8 million for the purchase of anti-retroviral treatment next year. In a statement, Global Fund country co-ordinating mechanisms secretariat co-ordinator Rangarirai Chiteure said officials from the Global Fund would be visiting the country from October 7 to 11 to discuss new funding applications for malaria and TB for 2014.
“The bulk of the money $14,7 million is meant to procure ARVs for the period January to June 2014. The disbursement will avert any possible disruptions in supply of ARVs,” he said.
Global Fund granted the country $555 million a three-year fund for projects to be implemented next year. According to Chiteure, the fund would be used to support anti-retroviral treatment provision for over one million people as well as more than 145 000 pregnant women between 2014 and 2016.
It would also go towards supporting male circumcision initiatives and HIV prevention services between the specified time period. Established in 2002, the Global Fund is a partnership dedicated to attracting and disbursing resources to prevent and treat HIV, TB and malaria. – Additional reporting by Harare Bureau
