Zimbabwe Faces ARV Shortage by June Amid USAID Funding Cuts – The Zimbabwe Mail

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s antiretroviral (ARV) medication supplies could run out by the end of June following the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) decision to halt its financial support.

The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe recently suspended all foreign assistance funded by the State Department and USAID for review. This has led to the temporary closure of New Start Centres and truck stop clinics across the country, severely affecting patients reliant on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) refills.

The suspension has sparked widespread concern among HIV patients, who now face an uncertain future regarding their treatment.

However, addressing Parliament on Wednesday, Minister of Health Douglas Mombeshora reassured lawmakers that the government would replenish ARV stocks before the end of June.

“We assessed the medicines required, and it is incorrect to say all our supplies came from USAID—it was about 31% of our stock.

“We have enough medication to last until the end of June, and by then, we will have replenished supplies.

“There is no need to panic; medication is available and will continue to be accessible,” Mombeshora stated.

Mombeshora also highlighted that the withdrawal of USAID funding has resulted in job losses for healthcare personnel in HIV treatment clinics, disrupted transport for accessing remote healthcare facilities, and created financial strain on the health ministry.

To address these challenges, the ministry plans to seek additional funding through Parliament’s supplementary budget review.

“We are currently seeking alternative funding sources. One major issue is transportation—vehicles and motorbikes used by healthcare personnel to reach remote clinics have also been affected by the funding cut.

“Motorbikes used to transport blood samples have been impacted as well.

“As a result, our Ministry is requesting extra funds to support key healthcare personnel and services,” Mombeshora explained.

Before the funding cut, Zimbabwe received over $200 million annually from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Since 2006, the U.S. government has contributed more than $1.7 billion to strengthen Zimbabwe’s health system and support people living with HIV.

The suspension of this critical support raises concerns about the sustainability of Zimbabwe’s HIV treatment programmes and the government’s ability to fill the funding gap.

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