“Zimbabwe is struggling to finance health care, as government it is our responsibility to finance health care. In Zimbabwe about 10 to 13 percent of the population is formerly employed and so we have a bit of a challenge,” said Madzorera.

“This is the population that is contributing to the levy (Aids levy) because they are the people whose salaries we know. We are looking for other mechanisms that make those informally employed to contribute,” he added.

National Aids Council (NAC) Communications Officer, Orirando Manuwere whose organization is dependent on contributions made by workers also echoed the same sentiments saying there is need to effectively utilise resources and grow the economy as “everything hinges on the economy.”

“There is need to formalize that sector and it’s up to policy makers to devise innovative ways to boost revenue collection,” said Manuwere.

The Aids levy which is a 3% deductible allowance from any formally employed person’s salary helped to initiate a number of programmes such as Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT), STI treatment, treatment and care, nutrition, livelihoods, (BEAM) for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs).

Meanwhile some international organizations like UNAIDS have expressed concern over donor pull-out from such HIV/AIDS fighting initiatives saying this could disturbe the achievement of Millenium Development Goal number 6.

In a statement UNAIDS said “This announcement could jeopardize global efforts to…— halt and reverse the spread of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by 2015.”

“UNAIDS urges the international community to urgently explore innovative sources of funding to bridge the gap in global resources for AIDS, including a financial transaction tax to fund critical health and development programmes. It also calls on countries to revise and reprioritize AIDS investments...”

Minister Madzorera said money from the informal sector is not coming to National Aids trust which has “done well” despite coming from a small population.

Due to the introduction of a multi-currency regime in 2009, AIDS levy collected an estimated $ 5,7 million signaling a positive change towards the fight against the disease and the inflows rose to 19,6 million in 2010, in 2011 it is estimated at 23 million (companies are yet to pay for December) and it is projected at less than 30 million.

According to NAC, about 400 000 adults and 39000 children are now on ART in Zimbabwe and the figure could rise to 600 000 due to the new WHO guidelines which came into effect in 2010. The new guidelines require that people commence ART at a 350CD4 threshold.

NAC says the Aids levy currently accounts for 24 percent of the financial requirements, while 76 percent if from the Global Fund, the Expanded Support Programme (ESP) and other donors.