By BRIAN HATYOKA –

THE National Aids Council (NAC) has called for the prudent use of HIV/AIDS funding, in view of dwindling external financial resources.
NAC director general Jabbin Mulwanda said the reduction in available external financing for HIV response was a wake-up call for orgnisations to be prudent in the way they used whatever little resource available.
Dr Mulwanda said there was need for organisations to apply the resources, where they would get the most impact or desired outcome, effectively and transparently.
He said this in Livingstone in his presentation to the just-ended Alliance of Mayors and Municipal Leaders Initiative for Community Action on AIDS at the Local Level (AMICAALL).
The conference is being held under the theme, ‘50 years of Local Government: Treasuring the past, reflecting the present, shaping the future’.
AMICAALL was established to build capacity in local authorities so that they take leadership in coordinating HIV response at local government level.
“The reduction in available external financing for HIV response calls us to be prudent in the way we use whatever little is available for response.
“We also must begin looking at non-traditional sources of financing in the face of dwindling external financial resources,” Dr Mulwanda said.
He said there was need to find internal sources of financing and response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Dr Mulwanda called for concerted to reach the unreached and vulnerable groups in the response for HIV/AIDS.
He said there was also need to ensure that people on treatment for HIV/AIDS stayed on the treatment.
“As NAC, we remain committed to sustaining a robust coordination of the central response to ensure we have a nation free of HIV/AIDS,” he said.
He said it was an undeniable fact that a lot had been achieved to mitigate HIV/AIDS in the country although more could still be done.
Dr Mulwanda said NAC had been working closely with Zambia Environmental Management Agency and Road Development Agency to ensure many capital projects being undertaken across the country, mainstreamed issues of gender and HIV/AIDS.
“We have adopted new antiretroviral treatment and mother to child treatment guidelines and children under the age of 14 who will test positive will go on lifelong treatment.