By Elvis Dumba
The United States of America’s decision to withdraw from World Health Organization and pull out millions of dollars in health aid has affected hundreds of Zimbabwe health workers after organisations funded by American agencies such as USAID and JF Kapnek Foundation ceased operations.
A senior health worker, (name withheld after request) with a local non–Governmental Organization based in Masvingo was surprised when they were informed that their operations were suddenly being stopped.
“We were just told to hand over all the vehicles we were using for our field work and asked to stop reporting for duty as the financial aid from USAID to our organisation has been stopped immediately” he said
A memo send to some health worker’s and seen by this publication read
“….. following President Trump’s suspension of USA Government foreign aid and assistance, our field activities are stopping effective tonight.
I am requesting that all vehicles be driven to Masvingo for parking tomorrow without fail, our parking time is 1300hrs
For those who travelled on a USAID visit from Harare kindly ensure that you travel back and and park by the same stated time.
Motorbikes
Kindly facilitate that all motobikes for the USAID program be parked at our JF Kapnek staff will not be working effective tomorrow and therefore are not authorized to vehicles and bikes” the memo read.
The move comes few days after President Trump signed USA Executive Order that halted foreign aid on various health interventions.
“We were shocked that suddenly we are finding ourselves jobless as we were actually looking to receive our grant next week for supporting adolescent girls who HIV/Positive to stay in School, we thought the withdrawal by USA was going to be gradual we didn’t expect it will be like this ” the teary looking health worker confided
Meanwhile Finance Minister has also expressed concern that a U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization will lead to aid cuts to countries such as Zimbabwe that are most affected by HIV/AIDS.
Warning that a U.S. withdrawal could signal cuts in health aid to countries such as Zimbabwe, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said: “Any country with an HIV/AIDS challenge is going to be impacted.”
“This is a concern, a fear we are expressing,” The Minister said
The country receives over $200 million annually from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and the U.S government has given Zimbabwe over $1.7 billion since 2006 to strengthen health systems and support people living with HIV, according the U.S. embassy in Harare.
PEPFAR contributes nearly $90 million a year to support salaries and incentives for healthcare workers in Zimbabwe, in addition to funding HIV and viral load testing, prevention, cervical cancer screening and tuberculosis treatment.
The United States of America government said it has plans to auction all properties in foreign land which were bought using USA’s aid money and recover some of the money.
President Trump’s decision has been condemned by many health advocates as it will reverse gains made in various health sectors.
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