THE country’s anti-retroviral drug stocks are said to be running low amid revelations that the number of people seeking assistance under the Government’s anti-retroviral treatment programme (ART) has shot up to more than half a million.

Before last month, only 218 000 accessed treatment while an additional 300 000 were placed on the waiting list.
But the new World Health Organisation (WHO) regulations compelling member states to incorporate another line of people living with HIV and Aids in their treatment programmes has seen the number of those seeking treatment balloon to 550 000.
Ministry of Health and Child Welfare national ART co-ordinator Dr Tsitsi Mutasa-Apollo said the new plan would result in increased drug shortages.
“We are likely to experience more drug shortages. The number of people in need of treatment will double if we follow the World Health Organisation plan,” she said.
In terms of the WHO plan, member states are supposed to extend treatment to a new class of people living with HIV and Aids.
Initially, most programmes only catered for those with a CD4 count of up to 200.
The new course, however, includes people with a count of up to 350. The CD4 count is a measure of the viral load and amount of anti-bodies in a person.
For instance, 200 suggests a high viral load while those with a CD4 count of up to 350 are usually in the early stages of infection.
Like most countries with limited resources, Zimbabwe has over the years gradually co-opted people seeking treatment based on their CD4 count.
WHO is now advocating early treatment. Dr Apollo said authorities would consider implementing the plan after mobilising resources.
“We will consider implementing the WHO plan next year after mobilising resources and securing enough funding from all our partners,” she said.
Head of the Aids and TB Unit in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare Dr Owen Mugurungi said limited funding continued to inhibit the treatment programme.
He said serious concerns had emerged because international funding was drying up.
“International funding has been very low unlike the other years.
“That is likely to affect the people who are on the waiting list,” he said.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) report, the burden of tuberculosis and HIV cases is high in 20 countries and Zimbabwe is included in the top 20 category.
Last week, Zimbabwe received US$21 million under the Global Fund’s Round Five Phase Two initiative. Although this amount will be used to fight the pandemic, the drug shortage is expected to continue owing to the increased demand for treatment.
The Aids levy is expected to complement donor support, but this, too, is insufficient as the amount collected has to be split among a number of competing requirements apart from drug procurement.
Only 50 percent of funds collected from the levy is channelled towards drug procurement. The remainder is directed towards other supporting requirements such as tests, among others.
National Aids Council chief executive Dr Tapiwa Magure said accessing adequate drugs remained a major challenge.
“The money that we have received (from the Global Fund) must be utilised by the end of the month. But still, we have a lot of ground to cover in terms of procuring drugs and test kits.
“There are also organisations which are going to benefit from this money. These organisations also need to implement HIV and Aids outreach programmes,” he said.
Chairman of the House of Assembly Portfolio Committee on Health and former Health Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said: “The problem that we have at the moment is the unavailability of drugs. We need the resources in order to ensure ART is sustainable.
“Patients who have a CD4 count of less than 350 are supposed to be on treatment but they are not accessing the drugs.
“Even if the waiting list keeps increasing when the drugs are not available, it is not going to solve anything when there are no resources.
“There are many programmes that have not yet taken shape largely due to the fact that we do not have a source of income,’’ said Dr Parirenyatwa.