Social Work and HIV Care in Zimbabwe: Coping with the Shrinking Donor Funding Landscape

Abstract

Donor aid has historically been instrumental in Zimbabwe’s HIV response, supporting a range of interventions including antiretroviral therapy (ART), prevention, counselling, and community-based care. However, a gradual decline in donor support, resulting from shifting global health priorities and economic constraints, threatens the sustainability of critical services. This paper explores the role of social work in mitigating the consequences of reduced funding for HIV programming in Zimbabwe. Through a qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with frontline social workers and an analysis of key policy documents, we examine the impact of funding shortages on service delivery, professional practice, and client outcomes. Findings reveal increasing workloads, diminished psychosocial support services, and compromised care pathways. Yet, despite these challenges, social workers have developed innovative responses, including leveraging informal support networks, integrating HIV care into social protection systems, and advocating for domestic resource mobilisation. The study underscores the urgent need to institutionalise social work within national HIV responses, increase state funding, and ensure the resilience of community-based care models in the face of donor withdrawal.