ZIM AIDS MONEY MISUSED

The Zimbabwe government has been accused of misusing funds meant to fight HIV/AIDS and other diseases by an international aid agency.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has claimed that $7.3 million of the $12.3 million it gave to the government did not go towards its intended use.

While it has not said what it believes the money was actually used for, the fund has demanded the cash be returned.

The organisation says that repeated attempts to get answers from Central Bank and government health officials have been unsuccessful.

This comes as the fund’s board is set to vote on Friday on granting an additional $400 million to the Zimbabwe government.

Zimbabwe’s economy is in a state of meltdown with inflation of around 231 million percent. The country has a shortage of most basic goods and faces mass malnutrition among the population – especially in rural areas.