By 
Former Luanshya Mayor, Nathan Chanda, has urged the Zambian government to realign the National Budget to support HIV and AIDS programmes following the 90-day suspension of USAID funding.
The United States Government recently imposed an immediate pause on foreign assistance to reassess programmatic efficiencies and alignment with its foreign policy, impacting the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and its ability to provide essential services to millions living with HIV.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday, Chanda described the situation as both a wake-up call and a crisis, emphasizing the need for a supplementary budget to prevent disruptions in HIV treatment and support services.
He further urged the government to mobilize alternative funding sources, including support from local partners and communities, to mitigate the impact of the funding suspension.
“This portal exists to provide real-time, ongoing updates to share the latest global and country information, data, guidance, and other resources related to the impact of these developments across 55 countries and on the global HIV response,” Chanda said.
As former Deputy President of the Alliance of Mayors and Municipal Leaders on HIV/AIDS in Africa (AMICAALL) and Chairperson of the Zambian Chapter, Chanda warned that lives were at stake, and Zambia risked setbacks in achieving UNAIDS epidemic control targets.
“I remember when I was President of the Alliance of Mayors and Municipal Leaders Community Action on HIV and AIDS, Zambia attained the 90-90-90 UNAIDS targets for HIV epidemic control as of September 2020,” he said.
He stressed that Zambia could not afford to lose the progress made through years of collaborative efforts by stakeholders.
Chanda further called on the Church and key stakeholders to join in appealing to the U.S. government to reconsider lifting the PEPFAR suspension, which had affected millions relying on the programme for lifesaving HIV treatment and prevention services.
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