The petition of the undersigned Zimbabwe Aids Network (ZAN) of 30 St.Patrick Rd, Hatfield, Harare.Respectfully show that your Petitioners: Being citizens of Zimbabwe; and Whose funding methods are subscriptions from members and donor funding from various development partners and well-wishers.Acknowledging that the constitution of Zimbabwe mandates the parliament of Zimbabwe to make laws, carry out executive oversight and discharge a representative role, as well as protect the Constitution and democratic governance in Zimbabwe.

The above excerpt shows part of the petition forwarded to the Parliament of Zimbabwe with the need of addressing the shortage of ARV drugs in the country hence putting people living with HIV/AIDS at risk.It highlights how petitioners are WORRIED – CONCERNED – DISTURBED – DISTRESSED – ALARMED

These expressions paint a case of confusion and uncertainty caused by lack of government to take action and also increase of shelf life of drugs thus posing risk to the health and lives of those living with HIV/AIDS. It becomes crucial for the government to take note of the people’s health as highlighted in the constitution which is the supreme law of the land.

What does a lack of political will do to an HIV/AIDS community?
The global fund has deferred approval of ARV gap one and two with the possibility of no ARV funding gap and a possibility of expiry of the already procured medicine. (Global Fund HIV grant IMP2 update by UNDP June 2019. While the government has made strides in the fight against HIV/AIDS which has seen the country reducing the HIV prevalence rate from a high of 27% in 1977 to the current 13%, resource constraints, and foreign currency shortages are now threatening the gains achieved. The current and pending shortage Anti-Retroviral Treatment will result in people living with HIV and AIDS defaulting on taking treatment, which is a risk to their health and will result in the loss of life. Medical experts are warning that people can become drug resistant after defaulting treatment or via infection of direct infection of a drug-resistant strain of the virus.

What therefore needs to be done?
The petitioners beseech the Parliament of Zimbabwe to exercise its constitutional role and address the following issues of public concernProtect the fundamental right to health and life of people living with HIV/AIDS as enshrined in the constitution and the international human rights instruments to which Zimbabwe is a party.

Inquire into the government’s failure to make the required co-financing commitment, which has resulted in the Global fund deferring approval of ARV gap one and two with the implications that there is a possibility of no ARV funding gap and expiry of already procured medicine.

Inquire into the use of funds from the AIDS Levy whose objective includes providing financial support for key HIV and AIDS interventions in Zimbabwe.

Inquire into the reasonable legislative and other measures that the State is taking, within the limits of the resources available to it, to achieve the progressive realization of the pertinent, constitutionally protected rights of the people living with HIV and AIDS that are being affected.