PEPFAR, Zimbabwe will continue to work together, improve country ownership

Nov 30 2012

Recognizing World AIDS Day is December 1, U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe David Bruce Wharton writes in a Herald opinion piece, "Ending AIDS is a shared responsibility. ... Everyone has a role to play -- government leaders, the private sector, multilateral organizations, civil society, media, faith-based organizations, and each one of us." Noting the U.S. has invested nearly $300 million in the fight against HIV in Zimbabwe since 2000 and plans to contribute $92 million more to the country through PEPFAR over the next year, Wharton says, "Through PEPFAR, the United States is working closely with Zimbabwe to build the country's capacity to lead an effective national response" and increase "country ownership."

"Through strong leadership from the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and the National AIDS Council and in collaboration with the Global Fund [to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria] and PEPFAR, treatment in Zimbabwe has reached universal access and continues to be rolled out to the benefit of those living with HIV in Zimbabwe," Wharton writes. He concludes, "As we look to the future, the United States remains committed to the global HIV/AIDS response. We will continue to work closely with Zimbabwe and its partners to move towards a long-term response that saves even more lives" (11/29).