By Kuda Pembere
A new National AIDS Council executive board of 12 members has been set up, chaired by Mrs Nester Mukwehwa.
Deputising Mrs Mukwehwa is Advocate Jaison Dzvetero. It consists of old and new members while having other board members which include Dr Matthew Mare, Mrs Tendayi Westerhof, Dr Gilbert Chahwanda, Ms Mabel T. Buzuzi, Ms Rumbidzayi Zinyuke, Mr Isheanesu Nkomo, Mr Jaison Muradzikwa, Mrs Beatrice Dupwa, Mr Ralphel Tsivama, Dr Ntombizanele A. Vella, Dr Wenceslas Nyamayaro, and Dr Bernard Madzima who is the chief executive officer.
Speaking on Friday at the inauguration of the new board, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora said the board should strengthen resource mobilization.
You are also to uphold national as well as the council values, such as transparency, accountability, integrity, professionalism, innovation, inclusiveness, as well as teamwork, in all your actions and decisions. You will provide strategic leadership to the council. The fight against HIV and AIDS requires innovative and forward-thinking leadership.
“Leaders are further required to be servants of the people of Zimbabwe. You will be required to mobilize resources and develop sustainable strategies. The AIDS levy has been a vital domestic resource complemented by significant funding from the donor community.
“The HIV funding landscape continues to change, with donors gradually reducing funding for the response. The board should explore and implement further approaches and ideas for increasing domestic financing,” he said. “You will be required to strengthen the efficiency and accountability of the AIDS levy to maximize its impact.”
He added, “Lastly, we expect you to strengthen collaboration and partnerships in the HIV response. The board should build and foster effective working relationships with all stakeholders, including governments, civil society, communities, and international partners. In conclusion, as I deliver this charge, I want to assure you of my unwavering support and that of my ministry in your efforts to fulfill this noble mission.”
Mrs Muhwekwa accepting the new role said they are up to the task noting the board had all the requisite skills.
“As the new board chair, I have accepted the responsibility on behalf of the board. It’s a huge responsibility. We are looking at the broad mandate of the National Health Council, of coordinating and implementing programs that are targeting the ending of HIV and AIDS by 2030. And as you can see, 2030 is just around the corner, so we have a lot of work to do,” she said. “This board is well balanced, gender balanced, with six males, six females, coming from diverse backgrounds. All the prerequisite skills that one would look for in a board are in this board. It’s well spread, and I have every confidence that as a team we will deliver on the mandate.”
She added, “So we need to actually have training so that we have the same footing when we start. We are excited that for the first time NAC has come up with a full board of members previously who were short in certain skills. Now I’m very confident that the skills surrounding the board as a team will be able to deliver.”
NAC CEO Dr Madzima said they were pleased having this new board that has various experts.
“So the mandate of the new board is to see the overall implementation of the Zimbabwe National AIDS strategic plan which goes up to 2028. We have various experts, we have public health experts, legal experts, finance experts, and in the end it’s represented in the board.
“So for National AIDS Council really it’s a boost to management that there is a board which has oversight in us carrying out the mandate of coordinating a multisectoral approach to HIV in Zimbabwe,” he said.
