Petition urges new body to tackle Non-Communicable Diseases 

Two petitioners have asked Parliament to repeal the National Aids Council Act (Chapter 15:14) and replace it with a comprehensive National Health Council Bill, arguing that Zimbabwe’s successful HIV and AIDS response provides a proven template for tackling the growing threat of non‑communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health conditions.

The proposal, contained in a petition submitted by Jacob Ngwenya, Executive Director of the Zimbabwe Non‑Communicable Diseases Champions Network and one Ms. Nhongo has won the backing of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care.

The health committee recommended a phased expansion of the National AIDS Council’s (NAC) mandate, the ring‑fencing of health‑related taxes and the eventual creation of a single umbrella body to coordinate financing for all major health challenges.

The petitioners noted that Zimbabwe’s fight against HIV and AIDS, facilitated by the National Aids Council Act and the AIDS levy, dramatically reduced infection rates and improved access to treatment.

The country has achieved the globally recognised 95‑95‑95 targets (95 percent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those diagnosed are on treatment and 95 percent of those on treatment are virally suppressed).

However, the petitioners argued that Zimbabwe “now faces a different epidemic.”

According to the World Health Organisation, NCDs, mainly cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, account for 31 percent of all deaths in Zimbabwe.

Mental health conditions also remain severely underfunded and stigmatised.

To confront this new burden, Ngwenya and Nhango proposed consolidating all health‑related levies under a single National Health Council.

These would include the existing AIDS levy (0.5 percent on individual and corporate income), the mobile and broadband health levy, “sin taxes” on tobacco and alcohol, the sugar‑sweetened beverage tax (introduced in the 2024 National Budget), and the 0.5 percent tax on fast food proposed in the 2025 Budget.

“A unified framework would streamline resource allocation and facilitate a more coordinated response,” the petitioners told the committee.

Presenting the Report of the Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care on the Petition from Ngwenya and Nhango on Tuesday, MP Discent Bajila moved that the House consider and adopt the committee’s recommendations.

After receiving oral evidence from Ngwenya and from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, led by Secretary Dr Aspect Maunganidze, accompanied by NAC CEO Dr Bernard Madzima, the committee made two core findings.

First, while the government has introduced a cocktail of taxes earmarked for NCDs, sugar tax, fast‑food tax, sin taxes and the airtime levy, none of these revenues are ring‑fenced.

They flow into the Consolidated Revenue Fund, meaning the connection between the levy and intended health outcomes is weakened.

“Without ring‑fencing, the potential to meaningfully address the growing NCD burden remains unrealised,” the committee observed.

Accordingly, the committee recommended that the Ministry of Health and the Treasury should enact legislation to ring‑fence all revenues from taxes on sugar, fast foods, tobacco, alcohol and the health levy.

These funds must be channeled exclusively to the prevention and management of NCDs and mental health conditions.

The committee urged this measure be reflected in the 2027 National Budget to guarantee predictable, sustainable financing.

On the petitioners’ proposal to repeal the National Aids Council Act and create a National Health Council, the committee endorsed the Ministry’s cautious, phased approach.

The Ministry warned that imposing new obligations on the NAC at a time when the country has not yet fully overcome the HIV and AIDS epidemic and while the council is already affected by the withdrawal of US government funding, could dilute hard‑won gains.

Instead, the Ministry recommended a hybrid, gradual transition that builds on the NAC’s existing integrated disease management model.

The committee was satisfied that NAC has the capacity to take on NCDs and mental health, noting that the council already engages with NCDs because many people living with HIV also suffer from hypertension, diabetes and cancers.

The committee also noted NAC has a consistent track record of clean audits and unqualified audit opinions from the Auditor‑General, with no adverse findings over successive years.

The committee therefore recommended a short to medium term plan where the Fourth Zimbabwe National HIV and AIDS Strategy Plan (ZINASP 4, 2026‑2030) must articulate a clear roadmap for expanding the NAC’s role in NCD and mental health prevention, using a phased approach that does not disrupt ongoing HIV programmes.

Another recommendation was long term, whereby in December 2026, Parliament should enact legislation formally mandating the NAC (or its successor) with full responsibility for coordinating NCDs and mental health, establishing what the petitioners envisage as a National Health Council.

Several legislators expressed support of the petitioners, highlighting the NAC’s credibility.

“Those who looked after the HIV and AIDS collection got us to 95‑95‑95. That shows the money was put to good use by knowledgeable people. They should be given a chance to also look after the sugar tax fund. We have not heard bad reports from the use of the AIDS fund,” said MP Thomas Muwodzeri.

MP Phathisiwe Machangu noted NCDs like cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure are troubling many families, especially in rural areas where medication is often unavailable.

“If we have a National Health Council, it will make sure people get assistance in well‑demarcated areas. But we must start bit by bit, with transparency and accountability,” she said.

MP Labbanny Munemo said he supports ring‑fencing of the sin tax on tobacco, alcohol, sugary drinks and fast food so that money is injected directly into prevention.

MP Lynette Karenyi-Kore said NAC has already proved its capacity, with “constant clean audits, successful coordination of the HIV response.”

“It is a credible, capable institution that can take on an extended role through a phased approach. Some may argue that expanding its mandate would weaken the fight against HIV, but the committee clearly recommends a gradual, carefully managed transition that protects existing gains.”