Tanzania: Bunge Committee Pushes for HIV/Aids Control Fund

Dodoma — IN the wake of dwindling and unreliable financial support from development partners, there is an urgent need for the government to form a national HIV/AIDS control fund.
This is the view of the Parliamentary HIV/AIDS Committee which presented its report in the National Assembly here on Thursday.
"The government must hasten the process of putting in place the fund, which will operate on locally generated revenue," said Lucy Mayenga (CCM-Special seats), while presenting the report.
In its contribution to the budget estimates of the Prime Minister's Office, the committee observed that continued dependency on donors was frustrating efforts to embark on various projects. "Apart from the fact that many donors were withdrawing sponsorship of HIV/Aids projects, the already limited funds are not released on time," reads part of the report.
She said the committee believes that having the fund in place would check the current dependence on donors. Meanwhile, the committee asked the government to review the Anti Drugs Unit Act to give the body the powers to both arrest and prosecute. Under the current set up, the unit can only do the former.