US Exit Leaves Zimbabwe Scrambling to Save HIV Programmes

The Ministry of Health and Child Care has warned of severe disruptions to its HIV response programmes following a dramatic withdrawal of financial support by the United States government and a growing sense of donor fatigue worldwide.

Speaking before a Joint Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care and the Thematic Committee on HIV and AIDS on Tuesday, Health and Child Care Permanent Secretary Dr Aspect Maunganidze said the sharp cutbacks have left the country struggling to maintain critical health services.

The reductions follow an announcement made in February 2025 by the Donald Trump administration slashing global health funding by at least 85%.

The country, long reliant on international assistance to combat HIV, tuberculosis and malaria has been hit particularly hard.

“What we have realised globally is a general fatigue in terms of donor funding. Whether it be through the UN, the Global Fund or other partners, the shift in global priorities has affected programmes that have been running for years,” said Dr Maunganidze

He added “This has unfortunately been compounded by the abrupt withdrawal of funding from one of the key funders, the US government.”

Zimbabwe has historically benefitted from US contributions through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund which have provided support to millions of people living with HIV across Africa.

The US alone contributes approximately 30% of the Global Fund’s resources.

“The US funding has been coming through PEPFAR, the US Agency for International Development, the CDC, and malaria initiatives. So, this sudden pull-out has major consequences for our services,” said Dr. Maunganidze

In response, the Ministry has written to Treasury requesting a supplementary budget to help close the funding gap and is actively seeking alternative sources of financing.

Domestically, Zimbabwe is now relying more heavily on national funding mechanisms including the 5% health levy on mobile airtime and other local taxes.

New fiscal instruments such as the sugar levy have also been introduced to support health interventions.

“We have to tap into local revenue streams to strengthen our HIV and AIDS response. This includes funding from the national budget, health levy, and international donors like the Gates Foundation and others,” Maunganidze said.

Despite the challenges, he said the country had managed to stabilise its supply of antiretroviral drugs as well as tuberculosis and malaria treatments at least through January 2026.

However, the situation remains precarious. Since January this year, more than 5,000 HIV-related deaths have been recorded raising concerns about the sustainability of Zimbabwe’s HIV programme and its ability to preserve the gains made in recent years.

The Ministry has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving the United Nations’ 95-95-95 targets for HIV – ensuring that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those diagnosed receive sustained antiretroviral therapy and 95% of those on treatment have viral suppression.

“We have made good progress towards these goals. But unless we secure sustainable financing, there is a risk that we could lose the ground we’ve covered,” said Maunganidze.