Tuesday, 10 June 2025

TRUMP CUTS : NO DEATHS IN ZIM

The United States has refuted claims that its cut on aid is impacting Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and other programmes, including life-saving and humanitarian projects.

Responding to inquiries from NewsDay yesterday, a US government official said they were continuing with their support for life-saving programmes, with the provision of ART and support for more than 1,2 million people affected by HIV remaining a priority.

The official said US$223 million was earmarked for aid, excluding centrally funded programmes to the country for this year.

“We are amid a realignment of our policies where we are reviewing projects to make sure they are in line with US policies on funding. In Zimbabwe, most of the projects have been successful,” the US official said on condition of anonymity.

The official said the US government had fulfilled all its commitments to ART up to the end of 2025 while expressing shock over media reports that nothing is being funded in that regard.

“We see reports attributing shortages of ART to our aid cut. That is not the case. At the moment, we have been asked to continue with the life-saving and humanitarian projects so that people do not die,” the official said.

“We have made tremendous progress with HIV and that has allowed the Zimbabwean government to focus on funding other areas. We think in the long run, the government will make it.

“We need to put responsibility where it belongs. The issue of people not getting their ART is not on us. Our aid is not only focused on HIV, but is interlinked with other programmes. Most of the technical support is continuing, save for prevention activities like the DREAMS [Determined, Resilient, Empowered, Aids-Free, Mentored and Safe] programme.” Newsday

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