A major campaign by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to scale up its HIV and AIDS programmes in Southern Africa is being threatened by a looming funding shortfall.
In October last year the organisation launched an appeal to raise US $300 million for the expansion of its HIV/AIDS efforts over the next five years. According to Fran?oise Le Goff, head of the regional delegation, based in Harare, Zimbabwe, contributions from donors have so far reached only about 20 percent of that target and are spread across the region, meaning that programmes in some countries are more at risk of disruption than others.
Botswana, Zambia and Lesotho are likely to be most affected by the funding gap.
“All these platforms that we have been developing over the last few months to absorb this money, and to make sure we deliver services to more beneficiaries, are threatened,” said Patrick Couteau, health and care advisor for the Federation’s global HIV and AIDS programme.