A team from the Global Fund To Fight Aids TB and Malaria is in Zimbabwe from Geneva, Switzerland guiding the country in putting up proposals for the allocated sixth replenishment grant of USD500 million, HealthTimes has learnt.
By Kudakwashe Pembere
In an interview, Health and Child Care Secretary Dr Agnes Mahomva said the country team visit was to assist the country in various areas on the build-up of the proposals.
“You are aware we got allocated over USD500 million by the Global Fund. We are very excited about it. So part of the processes when they do allocate they also ensure that we have a Global Fund Team from Geneva that focusses on Zimbabwe to give us guidance in terms of how we are going to put our proposals together, our plans together, our budgeting.
“So that it’s in line with the Global Fund requirements and hence we don’t waste a lot of time going to and fro. The team that is here is going to help is specifically to do just that,” she said.
She said their meeting today looked into stakeholder engagement.
“So today’s meeting the very first with them was stakeholder consultation, an area that global fund values a lot. They don’t want us to just put together a plan, a proposal that doesn’t have input from players.
“Whether it’s the community, the health workers from the health centres, from civil society, anybody and everybody was in that meeting today with the Global Fund Team from Geneva so that they appreciate the dynamics in Zimbabwe and are in a better position to help us as we move forward in putting together our proposal for the allocated USD500 million,” said Dr Mahomva.
Zimbabwe in October last year pledged a USD1 million contribution towards Global Fund. In December, the country was given a USD500 million grant by the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria which will be spread from 2020 to 2022.
In the grant, USD425 034 576 was earmarked for HIV/AIDS, USD 23,771,855 for Tuberculosis and USD 51,684,333 for Malaria. Global Fund raised Zimbabwe’s ratings for being one of the countries meeting their Grant performance expectations.
