November 3, 2026
Trust Freddy-Herald Correspondent
A DELEGATION from Tanzania's AIDS Trust Fund has commended Zimbabwe for pioneering the integration of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) into its HIV and tuberculosis health delivery.
The team, comprising the board and management of the AIDS Trust Fund, is in Zimbabwe on a week-long learning visit to benchmark the country's domestic health financing model.
It is led by board chairperson Mr Sabasaba Mwoshingi and Tanzania AIDS Commission executive director Dr Adam Mrisho, who is also ATF board secretary.
After touring Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, where the National AIDS Council (NAC) injected over US$2 million to upgrade the renal unit and blood bank, and a mobile clinic in Epworth, Dr Mrisho said Zimbabwe had shown how HIV platforms can be leveraged to tackle rising NCDs.
"Today we toured one of the central hospitals where we saw the installations and operations of the renal unit. We congratulate NAC Zimbabwe for such a remarkable gesture," he said.
"In the SADC region, we are having more people living with HIV than before, so integrating non-communicable diseases and HIV is paramount in our services."
He said integrating conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, renal disease and cancers like cervical cancer into HIV care was now critical as people living with HIV live longer on treatment.
"Renal disease is a very serious disease that needs someone to really go through a lot. By having that facility at the central hospital, it really saves several people, not only people living with HIV but also the general community," he said.
Dr Mrisho singled out Zimbabwe's decision to offer renal services free of charge as a regional outlier.
"This is free of charge, which is different from most SADC countries. This gives a good example of proper use of the AIDS Levy fund. It is something we can try to replicate in other parts of the world," he said.
In Epworth Overspill, where NAC supports mobile health services in partnership with ZimbosAbantu Healthcare on Wheels, the delegation saw integrated SRH, NCD and HIV services being offered at a market-side clinic.
"It is very promising to see that services are brought to the community. It saves the community through integrated SRH, NCDs and HIV services," Dr Mrisho said.
He said the visit brought to life this year's World AIDS Day theme: access.
"Ending AIDS starts with access. That is very key and we have seen it in a practical way here in Zimbabwe," he said.
"Congratulations to NAC Zimbabwe and the Government of Zimbabwe for making sure all these essential services are accessed by all communities."
