Govt assures nation of enough HIV medication, despite US pull-out

The government through the National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) has assured Zimbabweans of a stable medicine supply chain, with sufficient stocks of essential HIV, TB, and malaria commodities expected to last until the end of the year.

 

The assurance comes as the country continues to strengthen its health supply chain.

 

NatPharm Managing Director, Newman Madzikwa, says procurement for the first half of next year will begin soon to ensure uninterrupted access to vital drugs into 2026.

 

“We currently have sufficient medicines in the area of HIV. We’ve got various supplies with the support that came from the National AIDS Council and the Ministry of Health.

 

“So we have products that can take us up to the end of the year. And we are anticipating that the procurement for the first half of the year for 2026 will begin as soon as possible.

 

“So we will be having no challenges with HIV commodities, as well as TB and malaria.

 

“While we are having some challenges with other commodities for those high-impact interventions in the area of HIV, TB and malaria, we are still fairly okay,” he said.

 

With the rainfall season approaching, NatPharm has stepped up its cholera preparedness plan to mitigate potential outbreaks.

 

“In the area of cholera, as you are aware, we are getting into the rainy season, where cases of cholera can be on the rise. We are already bringing in some products that address that problem, such as Aquatabs, normal saline and so forth.

 

“So, we will be receiving them anytime soon, and we will be distributing them to the various provinces for preparedness in case any particular outbreak happens in those particular areas,” Madzikwa said.

 

In the long term, NatPharm is moving to action memoranda of understanding (MOUs) signed with several international and regional pharmaceutical companies.

 

These agreements are expected to pave the way for local drug manufacturing plants, positioning Zimbabwe to become a self-reliant producer of key medicines within the next decade.

 

Meanwhile, United States of America few months ago pulled out of the World Health Organisation and other institutions that used to supply HIV treatment support to a number of developing countries including Zimbabwe.

 

Since then, there has been fears that Zimbabwe was going to face HIV drug shortages.

ZBC